Associations Between Occupational Stress, Disordered Eating, and Obesity Among Police Officers in North Carolina

Obesity is a major public health concern among police officers, yet the links between occupational stress, disordered eating, and obesity remain unclear. This cross-sectional study examined 496 North Carolina officers to (1) assess severity of occupational stress (posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptoms, anti-police sentiment, fear of victimization), disordered eating (binge eating and loss-of-control eating), and obesity by county type, region, and sex; (2) evaluate associations between occupational stress and disordered eating; and (3) explore relationships between disordered eating and weight-related measures. Officers completed online surveys, and trained staff measured body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences, and waist-to-hip ratio. Nearly 60 percent of officers were classified as obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), and over 20 percent reported moderate to severe binge eating. Rural officers reported higher PTSD symptoms, binge eating, and loss-of-control eating than those in urban or suburban areas. Coastal Plain and Piedmont officers had higher BMI and larger waist and hip circumferences than those in the Mountain region. Higher occupational stress was linked to more severe disordered eating, which was associated with greater BMI and adiposity, although the effect sizes were modest. Findings support targeted interventions addressing occupational stress and disordered eating to prevent obesity and enhance officer well-being.