Abstract
Introduction: Identifying the risk factors of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among the most vulnerable people is crucial as it helps to prevent complications and improve health outcomes. The job of bank employees is both sedentary and accompanies high levels of mental stress, making them more susceptible to non-communicable disease like diabetes. This study aims to identify the prevalence of risk factors of T2DM among bank employees.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 348 bank employees from selected banks of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the largest and capital city of Nepal from October to December 2020. Pre-tested, self-administered structured questionnaire based on the WHO STEP Instrument and Perceived Stress Scale was used for the data collection. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 software.
Results: The mean age of respondents was 34.8±8.9 years. At least, one risk factor was present among all the respondents, whereas 22.4% having had over four risk factors. The most common risk factor was improper dietary habits (99.4%). Similarly, 84.2% of the respondents had moderate to high levels of perceived stress. Factors like age, gender, level of education, marital status, socio-economic status, and family history were associated with the risk factors of T2DM.
Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that bankers were at high risk of T2DM. This study showed an urgent need to bring the attention of the concerned authorities to promote a healthy lifestyle, create a stress-free work environment, and awareness about the risk of T2DM among bankers, coming up with public health strategies for its prevention.