Relationship between Perceived Body Weight and Body Mass Index among Health Care Workers in a Limited Resource Secondary Health Care Facility in North Central Nigeria

Aims: Overweight and obesity are leading causes of preventable deaths globally and healthcare workers should educate patients and the public about the danger of obesity. This is enhanced if they have appropriate perception of their weight. We aimed to determine the relationship between perceived body weight and body mass index among healthcare workers in a secondary healthcare facility.

Study Design: Cross sectional study using stratified random sampling technique.

Place and Duration of Study: Vom Christian Hospital, a faith-based, secondary health facility in Jos South, Plateau State, North Central Nigeria, in January 2015.

Methodology: Using a structured questionnaire, socio-demographic variables, risk factors for overweight/obesity and participant’s self-perception of weight was obtained. Actual weight status based on BMI (Kg/m2) was calculated.

Results: Only 30 (19.4%) perceived themselves to be overweight/obese, but 86 (55.5%) were overweight/obese based on BMI. Considering self-perception as a screening test and actual BMI as gold standard, the sensitivity was 89.4%, specificity 38.2%, positive predictive value 51.6%, negative predictive value 82.9%, diagnostic accuracy 60.0%, likelihood ratio of a positive test 1.4, likelihood ratio of a negative test 0.3 and diagnostic odds 5.2. Those who practiced for ≥10 years (OR 3.15, CI 1.07 – 9.30) were more likely to perceive themselves to be overweight/obese; male workers were less likely to have a perception of being overweight/obese (OR 0.26, CI 0.09 – 0.78; and those who did some exercise were less likely to have a self-perception of being overweight/obese (OR 0.31, CI 0.11 – 0.88). Staff who had practiced for ≥10 years were more likely to be actually overweight/obese (OR 2.74, CI 1.14 – 6.60,) and male workers were less likely to be overweight/obese (OR 0.45, CI 0.21 – 0.95).

Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of overweight and obesity, and staff were five times more likely to be overweight compared to their weight self-perception.