[An approach to the study of excess weight in health professionals using observational data].
BACKGROUND
Overweight is a public health problem in Catalonia as well. Quetelet's body mass index (BMI) is the most commonly used measurement in epidemiology for obesity quantification. This study was designed to assess its prevalence among the Catalonian health professionals.


METHODS
We used a self-evaluated anonymous questionnaire which was filled up by 176 health professionals (75 men, 101 women) attending several training programmes in public health. More than 90% of the were between 25 and 38 years of age.


RESULTS
Overweight prevalence (BMI > or = ) was of 15% (10% - 10% - 20%), significantly greatest among men (29%) than among women (5%). In both cases, it was mainly mild overweight.


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight prevalence is highest among male health professionals, although globally, it is lower than in the general adult population of Catalonia for similar age groups.
Departament de Salut Pública i Legislació Sanitària, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona.
R
R
Mora Ripoll
J
J
Canela Soler
J
J
Sentís Vilalta
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Aproximación al estudio del exceso de peso en profesionales sanitarios mediante datos observacionales.