Obesity Among Healthcare Workers in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: Prevalence, Predictors, and Workplace Health Implications

Background/Objectives: Obesity is an emerging public health problem in the world, and health professionals are most likely to be exposed to several occupational determinants thereof. These include long working hours, shift work, high job stress, irregular food intake, poor opportunities for healthy eating, and physical inactivity at work. Healthcare workers' stressful jobs typically lead to poor eating habits and less opportunity for physical exercise, contributing to obesity risk. The primary objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of obesity among healthcare employees and identify unique predictors that contribute to obesity in this population. Material and Methods: Data were collected between 2021 and 2023 from 557 participants through anthropometric measurement and a structured questionnaire using a stratified random sampling technique. Results: The study found that 18.6% of participants were classified as obese or morbidly obese (12.9% and 5.7%, respectively), while 33.8% were overweight. The strong predictors of obesity included older age (>30 years, AOR = 2.404, p < 0.001) and working in nursing services (AOR = 1.999, p = 0.003). Furthermore, 34.3% of respondents had no physical activity, 71.5% slept less than 8 h per day, and 58.5% consumed fast food one to two times per week. A significant association of obesity was found with gender (p < 0.001), females being at higher risk, and type of department (p = 0.002), nursing staff being at higher risk. However, the predictable factors for obesity did not include nationality, family size, hours of TV watching, and fast-food consumption. Conclusions: These findings highlight a significant burden of obesity among healthcare employees, underscoring the need for workplace interventions. The strategy to address obesity among this highly vulnerable population should be directed toward enhancing physical activities, improving eating habits, and managing occupational stress, particularly for older workers and nursing staff.