3d8d135818d1675848a-a58 20240401041749503 chitu:chitu chitkarauniversitypublications@chitkara.edu.in WEB-FORM Journal of Multidisciplinary Research in Healthcare JMRH 23938536 23938544 10.15415/jmrh https://jmrh.chitkara.edu.in/ 10 06 2023 10 06 2023 10 01 10.15415/jmrh.2023.101 https://jmrh.chitkara.edu.in/2023/vol-10-no-01/ Nutritional Status and Perceived Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Ekiti State, Nigeria Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria O. M. Adeojo I.O. Dada Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria K. Ajayi Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria Background: The healthcare profession has been associated with stress which has been found to affect nutritional status. Purpose: This study was aimed at evaluating the perceived stress-nutritional status nexus of healthcare professionals in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 414 healthcare professionals. The study sample was obtained by using a two-stage cluster sampling approach. Data on socio-demographic and meal pattern was collected through a pretested self-administered questionnaire. Results: Body Mass Index (BMI) was obtained from height and weight measurements and classified as underweight (BMI<18.5), normal weight (BMI=18.5-24.99), overweight (BMI=25.0-29.99), obesity (BMI≥30). Perceived stress was evaluated using the perceived stress scale version 10 (PSS-10). Data were analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 26 and subjected to Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis to establish relationship and predictors of perceived stress at 5% level of significance. The healthcare professionals’ age was 35.91±9.31 years with 86.2% being ≤ 45 years and 60% were females. Two meals a day were taken by 85.7%. BMI showed 49.3% to be overweight/obese. The mean perceived stress score was 15.02 with 47.6% having high perceived stress. Age (p=0.016), gender (p=0.001), marital status (p=0.001) and professional group (p=0.048) had significant relationship with perceived stress. The association between BMI and perceived stress was not significant (Chi-square = 0.562; p=0.905). Predictors of stress were gender (OR: 0.505, CI=0.308-0.830; p=0.007) and marital status (OR: 1.914, CI=1.143-3.208; p=0.014). Conclusion: The study showed high level of obesity and perceived stress. Nutrition education intervention is recommended. 10 06 2023 10 06 2023 01 12 10.15415/jmrh.2023.101001 https://doi.org/10.15415/jmrh.2023.101001