Obesity prevalence among healthcare professionals in England: a cross-sectional study using the health survey for England

Journal article


Kyle, RG, Wills, JD, Mahoney, C, Hoyle, L, Kelly, M and Atherton, IM (2017). Obesity prevalence among healthcare professionals in England: a cross-sectional study using the health survey for England. BMJ Open. 7 (12). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018498
AuthorsKyle, RG, Wills, JD, Mahoney, C, Hoyle, L, Kelly, M and Atherton, IM
Abstract

Objective: To estimate obesity prevalence among healthcare professionals in England and compare prevalence to those working outside of the health services. Design: Cross-sectional study based on data from five years (2008-2012) of the nationally representative Health Survey for England. Setting: England. Participants: 20,103 adults aged 17-65 indicating they were economically active at the time of survey classified into four occupational groups: nurses (n=422), other healthcare professionals (n=412), unregistered care workers (n=736) and individuals employed in non-health related occupations (n=18,533). Outcome measure: Prevalence of obesity defined as Body Mass Index  30.0 with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and weighted to reflect the population. Results: Obesity prevalence was high across all occupational groups including: among nurses (25.1% 95% CI 20.9, 29.4); other healthcare professionals (14.4% CI 11.0, 17.8); non-health related occupations (23.5% CI 22.9, 24.1); and unregistered care workers, who had the highest prevalence of obesity (31.9%, CI 28.4, 35.3). A logistic regression model adjusted for socio-demographic composition and survey year indicated that, compared to nurses, the odds of being obese were significantly lower for other health care professionals (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 0.52, CI 0.37, 0.75) and higher for unregistered care workers (aOR 1.46 CI 1.11, 1.93). There was no significant difference in obesity prevalence between nurses and people working in non-health related occupations (aOR 0.94 CI 0.74, 1.18). Conclusions: High obesity prevalence among nurses and unregistered care workers is concerning as it increases the risks of musculoskeletal conditions and mental health conditions which are the main causes of sickness-absence in health services. Further research is required to better understand the reasons for high obesity prevalence among healthcare professionals in England to inform interventions to support individuals to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Year2017
JournalBMJ Open
Journal citation7 (12)
PublisherBMJ Publishing Group
ISSN2044-6055
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018498
Web address (URL)https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/12/e018498
Publication dates
Print01 Dec 2017
Publication process dates
Deposited11 Oct 2017
Accepted20 Sep 2017
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Accepted author manuscript
License
File Access Level
Open
Permalink -

https://openresearch.lsbu.ac.uk/item/86w8z

Download files


Publisher's version
e018498.full.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Open


Accepted author manuscript
BMJ Open OBESITY RESUBMISSION FINAL CLEAN.docx
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Open

  • 328
    total views
  • 921
    total downloads
  • 6
    views this month
  • 5
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Involving Lived Experience in regional efforts to address gambling-related harms: going beyond ‘window dressing’ and ‘tick box exercises’
Jenkins, C., Mills, T., Grimes J, Bland C, Reavey, P., Wills, J. and Sykes, S. (2024). Involving Lived Experience in regional efforts to address gambling-related harms: going beyond ‘window dressing’ and ‘tick box exercises’. BMC Public Health. 24, p. 384. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3658745/v1
Harnessing lived experience in a community-based intervention to address gambling-related harms
Jenkins, C, Mills, T, Reavey, P, Moss, A, Sykes, S, Wills, J and Grimes, J (2023). Harnessing lived experience in a community-based intervention to address gambling-related harms. European Journal of Public Health. 33 (Supplement_2). https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckad160.1654
What works in advocating for food advertising policy change across an english region - a realist evaluation.
Sykes, S., Watkins, M., Bond, M., Jenkins, C. and Wills, J. (2023). What works in advocating for food advertising policy change across an english region - a realist evaluation. BMC Public Health. 23 (1), p. 1896. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16829-8
‘Odds Are: They Win’: a disruptive messaging innovation for challenging harmful products and practices of the gambling industry
T. Mills, J. Grimes, E. Caddick, C.L. Jenkins, J. Evans, A. Moss, J. Wills and S. Sykes (2023). ‘Odds Are: They Win’: a disruptive messaging innovation for challenging harmful products and practices of the gambling industry. Public Health. 224, pp. 41-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2023.08.009
Public health practitioners as policy advocates: skills, attributes and development needs.
Sykes, S., Wills, J. and Watkins, M. (2023). Public health practitioners as policy advocates: skills, attributes and development needs. Health Promotion International. 38 (5), p. daad102. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daad102
Doing public health differently: How can public health departments engage with local communities through social media interventions?
Watkins, M., Mallion, J.S., Frings, D., Wills, J., Sykes, S. and Whittaker, A. (2023). Doing public health differently: How can public health departments engage with local communities through social media interventions? Public Health in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2023.100412
Public health messages during a global emergency through an online community: A discourse and sentiment analysis
Watkins, M., Mallion, J., Frings, D., Wills, J., Sykes, S. and Whittaker, A. (2023). Public health messages during a global emergency through an online community: A discourse and sentiment analysis. Frontiers in Digital Health. 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2023.1130784
Settings for the development of health literacy: A conceptual review
Jenkins, C., Wills, J. and Sykes, S. (2023). Settings for the development of health literacy: A conceptual review. Frontiers in Public Health. 11, p. 1105640. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1105640
Multiple group membership, optimistic bias and infection risk in the context of emerging infectious diseases
Frings, D., Wills, J., Sykes, S., Wood, K. and Albery, I. (2023). Multiple group membership, optimistic bias and infection risk in the context of emerging infectious diseases. European Journal of Health Psychology. (30), pp. 115-125. https://doi.org/10.1027/2512-8442/a000127
Involving Children in Health Literacy Research
Jenkins, C., Wills, J. and Sykes, S. (2022). Involving Children in Health Literacy Research. Children. 10 (1), p. 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010023
Public Libraries as Supportive Environments for Children’s Development of Critical Health Literacy
Jenkins, C., Sykes, S. and Wills, J. (2022). Public Libraries as Supportive Environments for Children’s Development of Critical Health Literacy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 19 (19). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911896
Differences in digital health literacy and future anxiety between health care and other university students in England during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Frings, D., Sykes, S., Ojo,A, Rowlands, G, Trasolini, A, Dadaczynski, K, Okan, O and Wills, J. (2022). Differences in digital health literacy and future anxiety between health care and other university students in England during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Public Health. 22 (658). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13087-y
Street Gangs and Coercive Control: The Gendered Exploitation of Young Women and Girls in County Lines
Havard, T., Densley, J., Whittaker, A. and Wills, J. (2021). Street Gangs and Coercive Control: The Gendered Exploitation of Young Women and Girls in County Lines . Criminology & Criminal Justice. https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958211051513
eHealth literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic: seeking, sharing, suspicion amongst older and younger UK populations
Sykes, S., Wills, J., Trasolini, A., Wood, K. and Frings, D. (2021). eHealth literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic: seeking, sharing, suspicion amongst older and younger UK populations. Health Promotion International. 37 (1), p. daab103. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daab103
The health of the nursing workforce. A survey of National Nurse Associations
Wills, J, Hancock, C and Nuttall, M (2020). The health of the nursing workforce. A survey of National Nurse Associations. International Nursing Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12586
Multidimensional eHealth Literacy for Infertility
Sykes, S., Wills, J., Frings, D., Church, S. and Wood, K. (2020). Multidimensional eHealth Literacy for Infertility. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17 (3), pp. 966-966. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030966
IUHPE Position statement on health literacy: a practical vision for a health literate world
Bröder, J, Chang, P, Kickbusch, I, Levin-Zamir, D, McElhinney, E, Nutbeam, D, Okan, O, Osborne, R, Pelikan, J, Rootman, I, Rowlands, G, Nunes-Saboga, L, Simmons, R, Sørensen, K, Van den Broucke, S, Velardo, S, Wills, J and International Union for Health Promotion and Education (2018). IUHPE Position statement on health literacy: a practical vision for a health literate world. Montreal, Canada International Union of Health Promotion and Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757975918814421
Critical health literacy for the marginalised: Empirical findings
Sykes, S. and Wills, J. (2019). Critical health literacy for the marginalised: Empirical findings. in: Orkan, O., Ullrich, B., Levin-Zamir, D., Pinheiro, P. and Sorensen, K. (ed.) International Handbook of Health Literacy: Research, Practice and Policy across the Life-Span Bristol
Gender and health literacy: men’s health beliefs and behavior in Trinidad
Wills, J., Sykes, S., Hardy, S., Joshua, K., Moorley, C. and Ocho, O (2019). Gender and health literacy: men’s health beliefs and behavior in Trinidad. Health Promotion International. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daz076
How parents describe the positive aspects of parenting a child who has intellectual disabilities: a systematic review and narrative synthesis
Wills, J and Beighton, C (2019). How parents describe the positive aspects of parenting a child who has intellectual disabilities: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 32. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12617
Shaping alcohol health literacy: a systematic concept analysis and review
Sykes, S, Wills, J, Okan, O and Rowlands, G (2019). Shaping alcohol health literacy: a systematic concept analysis and review. Health Literacy Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.3928/24748307-20191104-01
Psychosocial aspects of operating department practice
Mahoney, C (2014). Psychosocial aspects of operating department practice. in: Abbott, H and Booth, H (ed.) Foundations for Operating Department Practice - essential theory for practice Maidenhead, England Open University Press. pp. 67-81
Systematic review: What works to address obesity in nurses?
Kelly, M. and Wills, J (2018). Systematic review: What works to address obesity in nurses? Occupational Medicine. 68 (4), pp. 228-238. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqy038
Nurses as role models in health promotion: piloting the acceptability of a social marketing campaign.
Wills, J, Kelly, M and Frings, D (2018). Nurses as role models in health promotion: piloting the acceptability of a social marketing campaign. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 75 (2), pp. 423-431. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13874
Challenges and opportunities in building critical health literacy
Sykes, SM and Wills, JD (2018). Challenges and opportunities in building critical health literacy. Global Health Promotion. 25 (4), p. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757975918789352
Peri-operative care for people with dementia: Challenges and solutions
Mahoney, C (2018). Peri-operative care for people with dementia: Challenges and solutions. Nursing Times. 114 (11), pp. 53-56.
Should nurses be role models for healthy lifestyles? Results from a modified Delphi study.
Kelly, M, Wills, JD, Jester, R and Speller, V (2017). Should nurses be role models for healthy lifestyles? Results from a modified Delphi study. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 73 (3), pp. 665-678. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13173
From healthcare assistant to student operating department practitioner—are you ready for the ODP challenge?
Rodger, D and Mahoney, C (2017). From healthcare assistant to student operating department practitioner—are you ready for the ODP challenge? British Journal of Healthcare Assistants. 11 (5), pp. 248-251. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjha.2017.11.5.248
The health literacy dyad: the contribution of future GPs in England
Wills, JD, Groene, O, Rowlands, G and Rudd, R (2017). The health literacy dyad: the contribution of future GPs in England. Education for primary care : an official publication of the Association of Course Organisers, National Association of GP Tutors, World Organisation of Family Doctors. 28 (5), pp. 274-281. https://doi.org/10.1080/14739879.2017.1327332
The Role of Community Development in Building Critical Health Literacy
Sykes, SM, Wills, JD and Popple, K (2017). The Role of Community Development in Building Critical Health Literacy. Community Development Journal. 53 (4), pp. 751-767. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsx019
Investigating the attitudes of nurses who are obese
Wills, JD and Kelly, M (2017). Investigating the attitudes of nurses who are obese. Nursing Standard. 31 (46), pp. 42-48. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2017.e10645
Do nurses' personal health behaviours impact on their health promotion practice: a systematic review
Kelly, M, Wills, JD and Sykes, SM (2017). Do nurses' personal health behaviours impact on their health promotion practice: a systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 76, pp. 62-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2017.08.008
Healthy universities: an example of a whole-system health-promoting setting
Newton, J, Dooris, M and Wills, JD (2016). Healthy universities: an example of a whole-system health-promoting setting. Global Health Promotion. 23 (Supp 1), pp. 57 - 65. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757975915601037
Using community development to build critical health literacy
Sykes, SM, Wills, JD and Crichton, N (2016). Using community development to build critical health literacy. 4th Health Literacy Conference - Health Literacy. Glasgow 18 Mar 2016
Troubled, Troubling or in Trouble: The Stories of ‘Troubled Families’
Wills, JD, Whittaker, AJ, Rickard, W and Felix, C (2016). Troubled, Troubling or in Trouble: The Stories of ‘Troubled Families’. British Journal of Social Work. 47 (4), pp. 989-1006. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcw061
Are parents identifying positive aspects to parenting their child with an intellectual disability or are they just coping? A qualitative exploration
Beighton, C and Wills, JD (2016). Are parents identifying positive aspects to parenting their child with an intellectual disability or are they just coping? A qualitative exploration. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744629516656073
How is rising obesity tackled in China and Europe?
Wills, JD and Liu, T (2016). How is rising obesity tackled in China and Europe? European Journal of Oriental Medicine. 8 (3).
What works to encourage student nurses to adopt healthier lifestyles? Findings from an intervention study.
Wills, JD and Kelly, M (2016). What works to encourage student nurses to adopt healthier lifestyles? Findings from an intervention study. Nurse Education Today. 48, pp. 180-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.10.011