Assessment of Dietary Habits and Lifestyle: Results a Survey in Kisangani, DR Congo

In Kisangani, the literature on dietary habits and lifestyle, as well as overweight and obesity, is insufficient and limited. Yet, a prevalence of 23.3% for overweight and 14.8% for obesity was observed among adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the dietary habits and lifestyle of staff at the provincial health division. It included 110 subjects selected through systematic sampling. A scale, a height rod, and a dietary survey questionnaire were used to collect data. We found that 40.9% were overweight and 15.5% were obese, with a concerning nutritional status. This status reflects numerous dietary habits harmful to health and does not meet the recommended dietary allowances. The consumption of snacks, supplements, and fortified products poses a potential health risk and does not meet nutritional requirements. These data indicate that overweight must be addressed through a multidisciplinary approach and that eating disorders require a precise diagnosis, which was not the objective of our questionnaire.