PLOS Global Public Health (Jan 2024)

The burden of hypertension, diabetes, and overweight/obesity by sedentary work pattern in Bangladesh: Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18.

  • Gulam Muhammed Al Kibria,
  • Shakir Hossen,
  • Dustin Gibson

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002788
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 2
p. e0002788

Abstract

Read online

Most low- and middle-income countries, including Bangladesh, are currently undergoing epidemiologic and demographic transitions with an increasing burden of hypertension, diabetes, and overweight/obesity. Inadequate physical activity is a risk factor for these conditions and work-related activities contribute to most of the physical activities in Bangladesh. We investigated the association of the sedentary nature of occupation with hypertension, diabetes, and overweight/obesity in Bangladesh. If a person's systolic/diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose concentration, and body mass index were ≥130/80 mmHg, ≥7 mmol/l, and ≥23 kg/m2, respectively, they were classified as hypertensive, diabetic, and overweight/obese. The nature of occupation/work was classified into three types: non-sedentary workers (NSW), sedentary workers (SW), and non-workers (NW). After describing the sample according to exposure and outcomes, we performed simple and multivariable logistic regression to investigate the association. Among 10900 participants (60.7% females, mean age: 40.0 years), about 43.2%, 13.2%, and 42.8% were NSW, SW, and NW, respectively. NSW, SW, NW, and overall people, respectively, had 6.7%, 14.5%, 11.7%, and 9.9% prevalence rates for diabetes; 18.0%, 32.9%, 28.3%, and 24.4% prevalence rates for overweight/obesity; and 18.0%, 32.9%, 38.3%, and 28.0% prevalence rate for hypertension. SW had higher odds of diabetes (AOR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.15-1.81), overweight/obesity (AOR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.52-2.21), and hypertension (AOR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21-1.77) than NSW. NW had higher odds of diabetes (AOR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.19-1.71) or hypertension (AOR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.22-1.56) but not higher odds of overweight/obesity (AOR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.98-1.27) than NSW. We found higher prevalence and odds of the studied conditions among SW than NSW. Workplace physical activity programs may improve the physical activity and health of SW.