Association between burnout syndrome and obesity: A cross-sectional population-based study

Abstract

Background: Burnout Syndrome (BS) is a response of organism against long-lasting exposure to occupational stressors. Those affected usually have comorbidities, as well as cardiovascular and metabolic problems.

Objective: Estimating the association between BS and obesity in primary health care nurses of in the state of Bahia, Brazil.

Methods: Population-analytical, cross-confirmatory, integrated and multicenter study, conducted with a random sample of primary health care nursing professionals in 43 municipalities from 07 mesoregions of Bahia, Brazil. This study was funded by the Brazilian Board for Scientific and Technological Development. The independent variable (BS) was evaluated by using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) scale, and the dependent one (obesity) was based on the Body Mass Index (BMI)≥30. Effect modification and confounding factors were verified by crude, stratified, and multivariate analysis.

Results: The prevalence of BS and obesity was 17.7% and 12.7%, respectively. BS was statistically associated with obesity, even after adjustment (RPa: 1.85; CI 95% 1.11-3.06) per gender, age, physical activity, healthy eating, satisfaction with occupation, another job, night shift, primary health care (PHC) time, and working conditions. Effect-modifying variables were not identified.

Conclusions: The specialized literature points out a path to the association identified here. New studies on the subject are relevant and should have more robust methodologies so that the path of causality is better clarified. In addition, occupational health programs become an alternative to control stress and, therefore, its complications, such as burnout and other health aggravations.

Keywords: Psychological burnout; body mass index; epidemiology; obesity; occupational stress.