Obesity, Prediabetes, and Perceived Stress in Municipal Workers

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the US, with obesity and diabetes as major risk factors.
• Stress exacerbates the risk of heart disease, highlighting the need to understand contributing factors in working populations.
• Identifying predictors of obesity and prediabetes is clinically valuable for preventative strategies in occupational settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationships among obesity, prediabetes, and perceived stress in a municipal working population.
• To identify significant predictors of obesity and prediabetes within this demographic.
• To inform occupational health nurses' evaluations and interventions.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional, correlational study design.
• Utilized a subset of worksite wellness program data from municipal employees screened in 2010-2011.
• Employed multiple regression models to analyze predictor variables.

Main Results:

• Obesity predictors included age, gender, race, HA1c, shift schedule, physical activity, and occupation (p < .01).
• Prediabetes predictors were age, Black race, and body mass index (BMI) (p < .01).
• Perceived stress was not a significant predictor of obesity or prediabetes in this cohort.

Conclusions:

• Age, race, BMI, and lifestyle factors are key predictors of obesity and prediabetes in municipal workers.
• Perceived stress did not emerge as a significant predictor in this study.
• Findings offer guidance for occupational health nurses in risk assessment and highlight areas for further research.