Prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity among office workers in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia

Obesity is a well-recognized risk factor for various chronic health problems. Civil servants are particularly vulnerable due to sedentary work habits and prolonged sitting. Despite this, little research has focused on office civil servants in Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 365 office civil servants in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia, in 2020. Participants were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected through a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire, entered into EpiData, and analyzed using SPSS. The prevalence of overweight or obesity was 30.83% among office civil servants. Significant predictors included consuming more than three meals per day (AOR = 4.34, 95% CI 2.22–8.33), engaging in regular physical exercise or intensive activity (AOR = 3.84, 95% CI 1.37–11.11), and sedentary behavior (AOR = 10, 95% CI 4.16–50.00). Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent among office civil servants in Bahir Dar City. Key contributing factors include prolonged sitting, frequent meals, and insufficient physical activity. Sector-wide, integrated occupational health programs are needed to address these risk factors.