Prevalence of overweight/obesity and associated factors among basic education teachers in a city in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Objective To estimate the prevalence of overweight/obesity and its associated factors among basic education teachers. Methods This is a cross-sectional study with probabilistic sampling by clustering. A questionnaire with socio-demographic, occupational, and psychosocial variables, as well as lifestyle, and health profiles was used. Results 707 teachers participated in the study. Associations with overweight/obesity were found for the variables: the male gender, age >40 years, three or more children, workload, contracted/designated employment relationship, fat intake through meat, abusive consumption of alcoholic beverages, presence of depressive episodes, endocrine problems, arterial hypertension, and negative self-perception of health with the prevalence ratio ranging from 1.16 to 1.52 in the associated variables. Conclusion Overweight/obesity affected approximately half of those surveyed. There is a relationship between sociodemographic, occupational, and psychosocial variables and lifestyles, on the one hand, and health factors and the presence of overweight/obesity in teachers, on the other. Measures must be implemented on modifiable factors, aiming to promote their quality of life.