The Obesity's Uptick among Physical Therapists-A Matter of Growing Concern
Rising Obesity Rates Among Physical Therapists
Keywords:
Body Mass Index, Lifestyle, Obesity, Physical fitness, Risk factorAbstract
Background: Obesity is rising globally, negatively impacting public health. This study examines obesity prevalence among physical therapists and its potential effects on job performance and healthcare. Using BMI classifications from the Asia Pacific and World Health Organization (WHO), the study assesses obesity rates among physical therapists.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over three months with 165 physical therapists from public and private hospitals, clinical units, and academic institutions in Karachi. Participants provided informed consent, and data were collected using non-probability convenience sampling. BMI was calculated from height and weight measurements, classified according to Asia Pacific and WHO guidelines.
Results: The mean age of participants, primarily clinicians (66%), was 38.92 years. Obesity prevalence was 24.1% (grade I) and 10.8% (grade II). Among female physiotherapists, 15% were overweight, 27% obese type I, and 9% obese type II, compared to 8%, 13%, and 9% in males, respectively.
Conclusion: The study highlights a concerning obesity prevalence among physical therapists, particularly males. Urgent action is needed to mitigate health risks and prevent negative impacts on job performance and healthcare costs. Obesity prevention should be prioritized, with further research required to explore its effects on healthcare professionals.
References
Taib S. Prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity among healthcare workers in Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Melaka Tengah. Int J Public Health Res. 2019;9(2):1117-1126.
World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight [Internet]. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.
SingleCare. Obesity statistics [Internet]. SingleCare. https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/obesity-statistics/.
Lawford BJ, Bennell KL, Allison K, Schwartz S, Hinman RS. Challenges with strengthening exercises for people with knee osteoarthritis and comorbid obesity: a qualitative study with patients and physiotherapists. Arthritis Care Res. 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.24439
Kyle RG, Wills J, Mahoney C, Hoyle L, Kelly M, Atherton IM. Obesity prevalence among healthcare professionals in England: a cross-sectional study using the Health Survey for England. BMJ Open. 2017;7(12):e018498. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018498
Wang YC, McPherson K, Marsh T, Gortma er SL, Martin Brown M. Health and economic burden of the projected obesity trends in the USA and the UK. Lancet. 2011;378(9793):815-825. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60814-3
Anandacoomarasamy A, Caterson I, Sambrook P, Fransen M, March L. The impact of obesity on the musculoskeletal system. Int J Obes. 2008;32(2):211-222. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803715
Studnek JR, Bentley M, Mac Crawford J, Fernandez AR. An assessment of key health indicators among emergency medical services professionals. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2010;14(1):14-20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/10903120903144957
Zapka JM, Lemon SC, Magner RP, Hale J. Lifestyle behaviours and weight among hospital‐based nurses. J Nurs Manag. 2009;17(7):853-860. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2834.2008.00923.x.
Senaratna CV, Perret JL, Lodge CJ, Lowe AJ, Campbell BE, Matheson MC, Hamilton GS, Dharmage SC. Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in the general population: a systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 2017;34:70-81. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2016.07.002
Government of Pakistan. Pakistan’s Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Voluntary National Review. Islamabad: Government of Pakistan; 2019.
Asudu M, Mollaoglu M, Mollaoglu M. Prevalence and Factors Associated with Obesity among Healthcare Professionals. Int J Caring Sci. 2021;14(1):433.
Jones CA, Forhan M. Addressing weight bias and stigma of obesity amongst physiotherapists. Physiother Theory Pract. 2021;37(7):808-816. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2019.1648623
Siagian E, Ramschie PA. Physical Activity And Nurses’ Attribute Variables To Body Mass Index And Uric Acid. J Ilm Ilmu Keperawatan Indones. 2021;11(01). DOI: https://doi.org/10.33221/jiiki.v11i01.950
McMenamin P, Wickstrom R, MSPT O, Bagley J, Johnson C, Jones K. Current Concepts in Occupational Health: Role of Physical Therapists in Occupational Health.
Elboim-Gabyzon M, Attar K, Peleg S. Weight stigmatization among physical therapy students and registered physical therapists. Obesity facts. 2020;2(2):104-116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000504809
Butt F, Butt AF, Alam F, Aslam N, Moeed HA, Butt FA. Perception and Management of Obesity Among Pakistani Doctors. Cureus. 2019;11(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.4156
Harris-Hayes M, Schootman M, Schootman JC, Hastings MK. The role of physical therapists in fighting the type 2 diabetes epidemic. Journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy. 2020 Jan;50(1):5-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2020.9154
Arif GM, Gul X, Ashfaq S, Fatima M, Qureshi T. Population Challenges in a Changing World: An Overview of the 22nd Annual Research Conference of the Population Association of Pakistan. NUST Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 2022;8(3):1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.51732/njssh.v8i3.152
Lăcătușu CM, Grigorescu ED, Floria M, Onofriescu A, Mihai BM. The mediterranean diet: From an environment-driven food culture to an emerging medical prescription. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2019 Mar;16(6):942. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16060942
Barua S, Saikia N. Perception, risk factors, and health behaviours in adult obesity in Kolkata, India: a mixed methods approach. BMC Public Health. 2022 Dec 19;22(1):2376. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14531-9
Lehnert T, Sonntag D, Konnopka A, Riedel-Heller S, König HH. Economic costs of overweight and obesity. Best practice & research Clinical endocrinology & metabolism. 2013 Apr 1;27(2):105-15.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beem.2013.01.002
Abbate M, Pericas J, Yañez AM, López-González AA, De Pedro-Gómez J, Aguilo A, Morales-Asencio JM, Bennasar-Veny M. Socioeconomic inequalities in metabolic syndrome by age and gender in a Spanish working population. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021 Sep 30;18(19):10333. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910333
Rodgers A, Sferruzzi-Perri AN. Developmental programming of offspring adipose tissue biology and obesity risk. International Journal of Obesity. 2021 Jun;45(6):1170-92. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00790-w
Pinhas-Hamiel O, Hamiel U, Bendor CD, Bardugo A, Twig G, Cukierman-Yaffe T. The global spread of severe obesity in toddlers, children, and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity facts. 2022 Jan 11;15(2):118-34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000521913
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Huzaifa Ather Rajar, Faryal Shaukat, Sheikh Muhammad Munir, Danish Zaman, Ushna Asif, Muhammed Ather Hashmi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
