Pattern of physical activity, diet, sleep and yoga in health care physicians. A study from a tertiary care hospital, Pondicherry

Background: Physical activity, diet pattern and yoga practices are linked with cardiovascular fitness. The objective of this study is to study the pattern of physical activity, diet and yoga practice in health care physicians. Methods: The study was done at a tertiary care hospital in Pondicherry. All adult health care physicians of both sexes working in the hospital and giving informed consent to participate in the study were included. Pregnant physicians and those who are not willing to give written consent for participation in the study were excluded from the study. The study was done as a cross sectional study using a pretested standardised questionnaire. Age, sex, demographic data, height, weight, diet habits, pattern of physical activity, sleep and yoga pattern in all the health care physicians were recorded and studied. Results: Of the total one hundred health care physicians, there were 65 male physicians. Among the female physicians, there were 20 of age 31 to 40 years, Of the 65 male physicians, there were 28 with body mass index of 25 to 29.9. Eight males and four females in the age group of 41 to 50 had abdominal obesity. Eight female physicians were doing regular exercise and nine physicians were doing yoga. Conclusions: They had a poor physical activity pattern, improper diet habits and reduced sleep. Only a few physicians were having the practice of doing yoga. Overweight and abdominal obesity was more prevalent in health care physicians.