The Prevalence of Well-Being and Healthy Lifestyle in Physicians in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Healthy lifestyle behaviors reduce overall mortality from non-communicable disease. Physicians health also influences patients attitudes and motivation to adopt lifestyle changes. Between February 25 and April 5, 2017, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 311 physicians in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, using a validated, web-based questionnaire. The prevalence of comorbidities follows dyslipidemia (10.9 %), hypertension (9.3 %), hereditary blood disorders (8.4 %), diabetes (4.2 %). Thirty-three percent had normal BMI, 37 % were overweight, and 21.9 % were obese. About one-third reported 30 minutes exercise at least once during a regular week, and many reported poor nutritional habits. Also, 83.6 % never smoked cigarettes. The mean number of hours slept daily was 6.3. The mean perceived stress level was 6.6/10. About one-half reported not wearing seatbelts while in cars. Overall, Saudi physicians have good health but must improve their health-related behaviors, including exercise, diet, sleep, and traffic safety.