Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development
  • Year: 2016
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue: 2

BMI Stratification and Lifestyle Behaviour and Disease Distribution in Desk Job Workers? A Cross-sectional Study in Chennai, India

1Primary Care Sports Physician, Department of Sports Medicine, Apollo Hospitals, 21 Greams Lane, Off Greams Road, Chennai, India

2Associate Director of Medical Services (CSR), Department of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Apollo Hospitals, 21 Greams Lane, Off Greams Road, Chennai, India

*Corresponding author: Akilesh Anand Prakash, Department of Sports Medicine, Apollo Hospitals, 21 Greams Lane, Off Greams Road, Chennai - 600 006, India. Email: akilesh.dr@gmail.com, Phone: (91) 44 2829 6572

Online published on 26 April, 2016.

Abstract

Obesity has been shown to be one of the major risk factor in the emergence of twin epidemics of Diabetes and Hypertension across the globe. With statistics reporting increasing trend in obesity in Chennai, India, the primary goal of the study was to study the association of weight, measured using body mass index (BMI), with health related lifestyle behaviours of smoking and alcohol consumption, and non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension in desk job workers in Chennai.

The study was a cross-sectional study conducted over three days in June 2015 at the work place of a corporate organisation in Chennai. A structured interview was carried out to collect information on demographics, lifestyle behaviours and disease history, while BMI was calculated using the measured height in metres and weight in kilograms by a trained personnel. The data were then analysed using SPSS version 16.

Statistically significant association was observed of BMI with age, gender and health related lifestyle behaviours (smoking, alcohol consumption), as measured by Pearson Chi square test of association with p<0.05. While no association of BMI was found with diabetes and hypertension in the study group.

Despite study limitations, the observations could help develop insights regarding the pattern of lifestyle risk factors and NCD in desk job workers in the current era of urbanization and stressful work schedule, and further help in developing beer health check packages and targeted interventions based on the identified correlates.

Keywords

BMI, Hypertension, Diabetes, Smoking, Alcohol, Desk Job, NCD