Predictors of overweight and obesity among urban office workers in the Philippines
Abstract
In the Philippines, the epidemic of overweight and obesity noiselessly permeate
the nation (Food and Nutrition Research Institute, 2014). Among the multifactorial risk
factors for the genesis of the problem, physical inactivity and poor dietary habits have
been referred to as potential reasons for excess weight among Filipinos (National
Nutrition Council, 2015). Consequently, the Philippine Association for the Study of
Overweight and Obesity (2015) recommends pioneering research to investigate the
epidemiology and risk factors of overweight and obesity, particularly among office
workers. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of
overweight and obesity, as well as to analyze dietary habits, physical activity levels, and
their association with overweight and obesity among Filipino office workers in an urban
area in the Philippines in 2016.
Seeking to accomplish the purpose of this study, a descriptive correlational study
design was used to measure the relationship between the variables among a single group
of individuals (Creswell, 2012), the urban office workers. Within a selected
establishment, 221 observations were analyzed. This was done using two selfadministered
questionnaires—International Physical Activity Questionnaire (Cronbach’s
alpha 0.76) and Food Frequency Questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha 0.84). In addition,
anthropometric measurements were taken to identify body sizes and forms.
In this study, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the targeted office
workers was 60% based on the international standards of body mass index (World Health
Organization, 2015). Moreover, 42% and 77% of the participants were classified as
having a high waist circumference and waist-hip ratio, respectively. Regarding physical
activity, only 8% of the participants were considered to be sufficiently active (high
active). A broad look at the overall dietary habits showed that unhealthy foods were the
most frequently consumed.
A significant negative correlation between physical activity and body mass index,
waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio was found. In terms of dietary habits, there was
a significant positive correlation between foods to limit or avoid and waist circumference.
Significant models emerged.
Urgent actions are needed to prevent and treat the current epidemic of overweight
and obesity among office workers. Promoting lifestyle changes through physical activity
and dietary habits may help to reduce the overweight and obesity problem. Exploring
other predictors of overweight and obesity may illuminate the intricacies of the current
epidemic. Longitudinal, experimental, and qualitative studies are recommended as well.