A recent study conducted in Mali has shed light on the prevalence of obesity among workers in a private company. The study, which was conducted over four years from 2019 to 2022, found that out of 2,715 workers, 20.4% were obese. The study also found that the prevalence of obesity was higher among women, with 28.4% of female workers being obese compared to 17.8% of male workers.
The study, which was published in the Health Sciences and Diseases journal, found that the mean age of the workers was 38.33 years. The prevalence of overweight was 39.7%, with 40.1% of men and 38.2% of women having a body mass index (BMI) above 25. The study used the World Health Organization's criteria for defining obesity, which is a BMI of 30 or above.
Abdominal obesity was found to be prevalent among 35.9% of workers, with a higher prevalence among women (65.1%) compared to men (28.9%). The study also found that factors associated with obesity were female sex, age 45 years and above, and sedentary lifestyle. These factors were found to be significant predictors of obesity among the workers.
The study also found that obesity was associated with other cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Workers who were obese were more likely to have hypertension (43.7% vs 19.2%), type 2 diabetes (10.8% vs 6.2%), and dyslipidemia (55.2% vs 50.5%) compared to non-obese workers.
The findings of the study highlight the need for targeted interventions in the workplace to address the growing problem of obesity. The study's authors noted that obesity is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases, and that workplace interventions could help to reduce the risk of these diseases among workers.
The study's findings are consistent with other studies conducted in Africa, which have found that obesity is a growing problem in the region. A study conducted in Cameroon found that 131-137 workers in a workplace setting had obesity. Another study conducted in Congo-Brazzaville found that obesity was prevalent among workers in Pointe-Noire.
The study's authors concluded that the findings highlight the need for urgent action to address the growing problem of obesity in the workplace. They noted that workplace interventions, such as health education and physical activity programs, could help to reduce the risk of obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors among workers.
Key points
- The study found that 20.4% of workers in a private company in Mali were obese, with a higher prevalence among women.
- The study found that factors associated with obesity were female sex, age 45 years and above, and sedentary lifestyle.
- The study's findings highlight the need for targeted interventions in the workplace to address the growing problem of obesity.
