Overweight and Obesity Among The Army Personnel with Low Socio-Economic Status In Kuala Lumpur: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults worldwide was 52%, which is a major public health concern. Military institutions worldwide were also plagued with this problem. 57.2% of the army personnel in Malaysia were overweight and obese, in which 52.6% had low socioeconomic status (SES). This led to negative impacts on the overall combat readiness due to the obesity-associated-diseases. This study determined the prevalence and predictors of overweight and obesity among the low SES army personnel in Kuala Lumpur.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a proportionate random sampling among 772 army personnel from low SES group in army camps in Kuala Lumpur. Online questionnaires were distributed while latest anthropometric measurements’ data were obtained from the Military Lifetime Health Record (MLHR) system. The outcome of this study was overweight and obesity (BMI of > 25kg/m2). Data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0 involving descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: The median age of the respondents was 30 (IQR=7) years. The prevalence of overweight and obese army personnel was 41.1% (95%CI:37.6-44.6). The predictors found were being married (AOR:2.026, 95%CI:1.318-3.113), secondary education (AOR:2.545, 95%CI:1.245-5.203), Lance Corporal (AOR:1.994, 95%CI:1.061-3.748), Corporal (AOR:2.814, 95%CI:1.578-5.020), Sergeant (AOR:4.174, 95%CI:2.076-8.390), past injury (AOR:1.879, 95%CI: 1.191-2.965), history of obese sibling (AOR:1.737, 95%CI:1.013-2.973), history of obese parent (AOR:3.344, 95%CI:1.965-5.688), history of obese grandparent (AOR:11.321, 95%CI:2.207-58.072), poor knowledge on dietary intake (AOR:1.524, 95%CI:1.077-2.157), less than 2 litres daily plain water intake (AOR:1.606, 95%CI:1.166-2.210).Conclusions: Knowledge on dietary intake and plain water intake are the two modifiable predictors for overweight and obesity found in this study, while the other nine predictors are non-modifiable. Understanding on issues surrounding the low SES group will help the strategic level in planning for future comprehensive interventions on overweight and obesity, specifically targeting on those predictors.