Attitude and Behaviour of Hospital Workers on Healthy Diet and Lifestyle in Eastern Turkey

INTRODUCTION: This research was conducted for the purpose of determining the healthy lifestyle behaviors of physicians, nurses and other hospital employees in Medical School of Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Eastern Turkey.
METHODS: A total of 430 physicians, nurses and other hospital employees working in the University Hospital were invited to participate. Research data in this descriptive study were collected with a questionnaire covering; nutrition consuming frequency, nutrition consuming behaviour, general health condition, body height and weight, blood pressure, alcohol and cigarette consumption, exercise, socio demographic characteristics.
RESULTS: Smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day in smokers among physicians, nurses, and other employees were 83.3 %, 76.7 % and 46.9 % respectively (p: 0.004). The highest rates of obesity were seen in physician(20.9%)(p=0.000). The highest rates of hypertension were seen in other employees (24.3%)(p=0.000). Eating fast food daily among physicians, nurses, and other employees were 10.5 %, 7.4 % and 0% respectively (p: 0.000). 11 % of females and 17.1 % of male were doing regular exercise. Starting the day without having breakfast among female and male were 37.2 %, 43.8 % respectively.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: As they are the role model for the rest of the population more time and care should be given to understand the reasons, so they may improve their attitudes regarding healthy diet and lifestyle.