EATING PATTERN, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF POLICE PERSONNEL IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

Police work is mentally demanding and stressful, which takes a heavy toll on the health of police personnel. This study was conducted to assess the eating pattern, physical activity and nutritional status of police personnel in the Tamale Metropolis. The study employed a cross-sectional study design. The study sampled 384 Police personnel in the Tamale metropolis using a simple random sampling technique. A self –administered questionnaire was used to collect background data, eating pattern and physical activity data. Anthropometric indices were measured using standard procedures. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to test associations. Logistic modeling was used to test the strength of the associations. P<0.05 was used to denote significance. Findings of the study revealed that majority of the police ate two main meals (83.3%), skip breakfast (74%), consumed alcohol (83.3%), ate foods belonging to the meat (86%), soft drinks (71%), fish (61%), grain (61%) and eggs (50%) groups and their diet were more moderately diverse (48.7%). The survey findings also suggest that most of the police personnel had moderate-intensity physical activity. Almost 66% of the police personnel had normal BMI while 20% and 6% were overweight and obese respectively. The results showed that, compared to police personnel who took breakfast often, those who took breakfast not always and none had significantly higher chances of being overweight/obese [AOR=2.00, 95% CI (1.35-2.94); AOR=1.80, 95%. CI (1.21-2.68) respectively] after adjusting for covariates. Hard and very hard intensity physical activity had a protective effect on overweight and obesity: police personnel who were engaged in hard and very hard intensity physical activity still had lower chances of being overweight/obese [AOR=0.49, 95% CI (0.34-0.70); AOR=0.71, 95% CI (0.54-0.94) respectively] compared to their counterparts after adjusting for confounders. The study recommended that health education and screening exercise should be organized periodically for the Police personnel by the police leadership in the Tamale Metropolis, and police in Tamale should be encouraged to engage in regular physical activity.