Exploring Body Composition and Eating Habits Among Nurses in Poland

Background/Objectives: Nurses play a vital role in healthcare, yet their demanding working conditions, including long hours, shift work, and stress, can negatively impact health behaviors. In Poland, empirical data on nurses' eating habits and body composition remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate body composition and dietary habits among nurses, and to identify significant relationships and associations between these variables. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 460 Polish nurses. The mean age of the respondents was 45.07 years (SD ± 11.98). Body composition was assessed using the Tanita MC-780 PLUS MA analyzer, and eating behaviors were measured with the standardized My Eating Habits questionnaire (MEH). Advanced statistical analyses including k-means clustering, ANOVA, chi-square tests, Spearman's correlation, ROC curves, decision tree modeling, and heatmap visualization were used to identify associations. Results: The MEH scores among nurses indicated average eating behavior. However, excess body fat, overweight/obesity, shift work, and holding multiple jobs were significantly associated with emotional overeating, habitual overeating, and restrictive eating. Decision tree analysis identified Body Mass Index (BMI), fat-free mass (FFM) and comorbidities as key predictors of problematic eating patterns. Interaction effects showed that shift work combined with higher BMI further increased the risk of maladaptive behaviors. Heatmaps confirmed the strongest MEH scores in participants with elevated BMI and FFM. Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for targeted workplace interventions promoting healthy eating and weight control among nurses. Recognizing risk factors such as excess weight or multiple job holding can aid in designing effective prevention and health promotion strategies tailored to healthcare professionals.