Metabolic syndrome and obesity among workers at Kanye Seventh-Day Adventist Hospital, Botswana

Abstract

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome and obesity are risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or cardiovascular disease, especially stroke. There is evidence worldwide of the high prevalence of these pathologies in health care providers.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of metabolic syndrome, overweight, obesity and risk of developing metabolic syndrome in workers at Kanye Seventh-day Adventist Hospital, Kanye, Botswana.

Methods: An observational and cross-sectional study. For the detection of metabolic syndrome, the criteria of the Adult Treatment Panel III were used; for obesity, the body mass index of 150 workers was applied. Data were grouped and analysed according to gender, age and type of work.

Results: Thirty-four per cent of the hospital's workers had metabolic syndrome, the same percentage were at high risk of developing metabolic syndrome, 28.7% were obese, and 27.3% were overweight. Female gender was found to be strongly associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. The age group of 35-54 years was most affected.

Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome among Kanye Seventh-day Adventist Hospital workers. We recommend the implementation of programmes to screen these risk factors by means of routine medical exams and improving the lifestyles of Botswana health care workers. The study findings could be the basis for future research among hospital staff and the general population.