Weight gain in public hospital workers: a retrospective cohort study

This study assessed changes in the nutrition profile of public hospital workers over a period of three decades and the association between nutritional status and occupational factors. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with staff taken on in 1980, 1990, and 2000 still working in the hospital in 2013. The following data was obtained from staff records: sociodemographic characteristics; and body weight and height, recorded during pre-employment and periodic medical examinations. The latter was used to calculate body mass index (BMI).The final sample consisted of 386 workers (76.4% women and 88.1% white) with a mean age of 29.3 ± 7.3 years. Mean body weight and BMI at admission were highest in the 2000 cohort (W = 66.3 ± 12.5kg; BMI = 21.3 ± 2.5 kg/m2), compared to 1980 (W = 56.7 ± 10.2 kg; BMI = 21.3 ± 2.5 kg/m2)and 1990 (W = 62.2 ± 11.5 kg; BMI = 22.9 ± 3.3 kg/m2) cohorts. Variation in weight and BMI between the pre-employment examination and final periodic examination was highest in the 2000 cohort. When stratified by sex, this difference in variation was observed only in men. No association was found between variation in body weight and BMI and work shift and occupation. The increase in weight and BMI reflects the nutritional transition in Brazil, underscoring the need for nutritional surveillance and the implementation of health education programs directed at staff.