Lifestyle and nutritional status of urban school teachers in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: The study was designed to determine the lifestyle and nutritional status of urban school teachers in Ibadan.

Methods: The study was descriptive and crosssectional in design. A random sample of 423 teachers (279 males and 144 females) aged 21 to 60 years from six public and six private secondary schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area constituted the study population. A semi-structured intervieweradministered
questionnaire and a dietary diversity questionnaire were used to determine the sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, as well as the dietary diversity of the respondents. Anthropometric indices such as weight (kg), height (m), hip (cm) and waist (cm) circumference of the teachers were measured using standard procedures to 2 determine their Body Mass Index (weight/height , 2) kg/m and waist to hip ratio respectively. Body composition was determined with a body composition monitor. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's Chi-square test at 5% level of significance was applied to the data.

Results: The mean age of the teachers was 41±7.7 years, of which 34.0% were males, 8.5% and 0.7% were alcohol consumers and current cigarette smokers respectively. Most (78.0%) of the teachers either had at least medium (≤5 food groups) while 22.0% had high (≥6 food groups) dietary diversity. 55.3% were either overweight or obese. Females were significantly more overweight or obese and had higher waist circumference and waist-hip ratio than the male teachers (p<0.05). Also, percentage body fat was twice as high in females as in males while the percentage muscle mass was 1.5 times higher in males than females. Visceral fat was also higher in females while the resting metabolism was higher in males.

Conclusion: Alcohol intake and cigarette smoking were low among the teachers while overnutrition was common and more prominent among the female teachers.

Keywords: lifestyle, dietary diversity, nutritional status, school teachers