Obesity among health-care workers (HCWs) is an important issue as it can affect both their health condition and their professional capability. Although adult obesity is attributable to occupational factors, few reports are available on Malaysian health-care workers’ obesity and whether different health-care job categories are related to workers’ obesity. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity among HCWs and the association between various HCW job categories and obesity. A cross-sectional study was conducted by analyzing secondary data from the 2019 annual cardiovascular health screening program, which included information regarding all government health-care workers in the east coast region of Peninsular Malaysia. The subject’s body mass index (BMI) was categorized according to WHO criteria. Only 43% of the subjects had a normal BMI, while 33.1% were categorized as overweight, and 21.1% were obese. Different HCWs’ job categories were shown to be significantly associated with their obesity status, with nurses apparently having a higher risk of being obese (Adj OR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.45, 2.53, p-value < 0.001). This study's results require further exploration of HCWs’ working condition factors and for different job categories that contribute to obesity. Public health intervention programs to combat obesity should be implemented that primarily target HCW groups at the highest risk of obesity.

Pre-pregnancy care is an important approach for maternal and child health. This study aimed to determine the knowledge about pre-pregnancy care and factors associated with good pre-pregnancy care knowledge among women with high risk pregnancy in Kinta, Perak. A cross-sectional study was conducted among women diagnosed as high-risk pregnancy in governmental health clinics in Kinta. Stratified random sampling was applied and interviewer-guided questionnaires were administered. A proforma and the validated Pre-pregnancy Care Knowledge and Practice Questionnaire were used, consisting of 21 items on knowledge. Good pre-pregnancy care knowledge was defined as those with the total score of more than 12. Logistic regression analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Of the 490 women, their mean age was 29.98 (SD 5.51) years. Less than half (48.6%) had good knowledge of pre-pregnancy care. Education level and attended pre-pregnancy care services were significantly associated with good pre-pregnancy care knowledge. Compared to women with secondary and below education, those with tertiary education had two times odds of having good pre-pregnancy care knowledge (Adjusted odds ratio 2.06; 95% CI: 1.41, 3.03; p<0.001). Compared to women who never attended pre-pregnancy care services, those who had attended were almost 2.5 times higher odds of having good pre-pregnancy care knowledge (Adjusted odds ratio 2.46; 95% CI: 1.59, 3.83; p<0.001). The pre-pregnancy care knowledge of women with high risk pregnancy in this study was still unsatisfactory. The area with a lacking of knowledge and the significant factors should be focused to improve pre-pregnancy care knowledge and utilization.

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