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Occupational Health and Obesity
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Occupational Health and Obesity

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Occupational Safety and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 19075

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Katie M. Heinrich

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Kinesiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Interests: high-intensity functional training; applied exercise interventions; chronic disease prevention; fitness; body composition; tactical populations; group exercise behaviors; physical activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity proposes a significant threat to occupational health. Employed adults spend 25% of their lives at work, and work-related pressures and obligations impact eating habits and activity patterns. Living with obesity can disproportionately impact opportunities to work as well as productivity within occupational settings. The direction of the relationship between obesity and occupational conditions and exposures is unclear, but the co-morbidities associated with obesity have a clear negative workforce impact. As a result, obesity has been linked to higher direct and indirect medical costs.
Despite national and international efforts to prevent and treat obesity, rates continue to increase worldwide. The purpose of this Special Issue is to explore efforts to address obesity among different occupations. Occupations of interest include tactical athletes (e.g., military, law enforcement, and first responders), office workers, and blue collar workers, among others. Topics of interest include improving obesity measurement and diagnosis, innovative prevention programs that address multiple health behaviors, and treatment programs that are operated through the worksite. High quality original research articles, PRISMA-framed reviews of progress in the field, and case reports are welcome. All manuscripts will be reviewed by experts in the field.

Prof. Dr. Katie M. Heinrich
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Adiposity
  • Body mass index
  • Emergency responders
  • Exercise
  • Firefighters
  • Health promotion
  • Law enforcement
  • Military personnel
  • Nutrition
  • Obesity
  • Occupational diseases
  • Occupational health
  • Physical activity
  • Quality of life
  • Sedentary behavior
  • Shift work schedule
  • Work
  • Workplace

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 333 KiB  
Article
Fitness Fights Fires: Exploring the Relationship between Physical Fitness and Firefighter Ability
by Annmarie Chizewski, Allyson Box, Richard Kesler and Steven J. Petruzzello
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 11733; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182211733 - 09 Nov 2021
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3884
Abstract
Background: Regular exercise in firefighters may be effective in preventing or attenuating ill health (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, and obesity), as well as improving their firefighting ability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and firefighting ability. [...] Read more.
Background: Regular exercise in firefighters may be effective in preventing or attenuating ill health (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, and obesity), as well as improving their firefighting ability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and firefighting ability. Methods: Male firefighter recruits’ (n = 89; age = 27.1 ± 4.2 yrs) physical fitness and firefighting ability were assessed at Week 1 and Week 7 during a basic firefighting training academy. Physical fitness was assessed via 1.5 mile run time, sit-up and push-up repetitions, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) bench press test, vertical jump height, and sit-and-reach flexibility, while firefighting ability was assessed via completion time on a firefighting skills test. Results: Fitness predicted significant variance in firefighting ability at Week 1 (R2= 0.46; p < 0.01) and Week 7 (R2 = 0.46; p < 0.01), after accounting for age and body mass index. Cardiovascular endurance accounted for 22.4% (FΔ (1, 85) = 25.75) and 39.3% (FΔ (1, 85) = 55.53) while muscular endurance accounted for an additional 19.0% (FΔ (3, 82) = 10.34) and 6.3% (FΔ (3, 82) = 3.2) unique variance in firefighting ability at Week 1 and Week 7, respectively. Conclusions: Given the strong association between fitness and firefighting performance, municipal departments may want to focus on increasing fitness levels among firefighters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Obesity)
10 pages, 361 KiB  
Article
The Prevalence of Abdominal Adiposity among Primary Health Care Physicians in Bahia, Brazil: An Epidemiological Study
by André Luiz Brandão Costa, Magno Conceição das Merces, Amália Ivine Costa Santana, Douglas de Souza e Silva, Rodrigo Fernandes Weyll Pimentel, Pedro Carlos Muniz de Figueiredo, Tatiana Santos Brandão, Julita Maria Freitas Coelho, Alex Almeida e Almeida, Kairo Silvestre Meneses Damasceno, Thais Regis Aranha Rossi, Marcio Costa de Souza, Iracema Lua, Dandara Almeida Reis da Silva, Monique Magnavita Borba da Fonseca Cerqueira, Antonio Marcos Tosoli Gomes, Jeane Freitas de Oliveira, Anderson Reis de Sousa, Thiago da Silva Santana, Maria Lúcia Silva Servo, Márcia Cristina Graça Marinho, Lucelia Batista Neves Cunha Magalhães, Arthur Pinto Silva, Sergio Correa Marques, Rafael Moura Coelho Pecly Wolter, Lucia Helena Penna, Luiz Carlos Moraes França, Ellen Marcia Peres, Pablo Luiz Santos Couto, Priscila Cristina da Silva Thiengo de Andrade, Livia Fajin de Mello dos Santos, Ana Victória Gomes Fonseca, Charles Souza Santos, Lívia Maria da Silva Gonçalves and Argemiro D’Oliveira Júnioradd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(3), 957; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18030957 - 22 Jan 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2593
Abstract
Background: Labor activities are demanding for workers and can induce occupational stress. Primary health care (PHC) workers have faced problems that can lead to the development of stress and abdominal obesity. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of abdominal [...] Read more.
Background: Labor activities are demanding for workers and can induce occupational stress. Primary health care (PHC) workers have faced problems that can lead to the development of stress and abdominal obesity. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of abdominal adiposity among primary health care physicians in the metropolitan mesoregion of Salvador, Bahia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with physicians from the family health units (FHUs) of the metropolitan mesoregion of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The number of FHUs corresponded to 41 teams (52 physicians). Anamnesis was performed and a questionnaire was applied. The clinical examination consisted of measuring waist circumference (WC), blood pressure levels (BP), and body mass index (BMI), as well as examining for acanthosis nigricans. Blood samples were collected for biochemical dosages. The data obtained were analyzed by SPSS version 22.0. Results: The sample included 41 physicians (response rate: 78.8%), of which 18 were women (44.0%). The percentage of overweight participants represented by BMI was 31.7%. The hypertriglyceridemia prevalence was 29.2%. HDL-c was low in 48.7% of the participants. The waist circumference measurement revealed a prevalence of abdominal adiposity of 38.8% (women) and 34.8% (men). Conclusions: Medical professionals in PHC are more susceptible to having higher abdominal adiposity, especially female physicians. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Obesity)
8 pages, 281 KiB  
Article
Firefighters Are More Physically Active On-Duty Compared to Off-Duty
by Allison M. Barry, Katie L. Lyman, Nathan D. Dicks, Christi R. McGeorge, Michael J. Carper and Tanis J. Walch
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9380; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17249380 - 15 Dec 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1764
Abstract
Physical inactivity, coupled with increasing obesity levels, in firefighters plays a key role in aggregated cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to investigate device-measured physical activity (PA) for firefighters while on- and off-duty to have a clearer understanding of their overall [...] Read more.
Physical inactivity, coupled with increasing obesity levels, in firefighters plays a key role in aggregated cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to investigate device-measured physical activity (PA) for firefighters while on- and off-duty to have a clearer understanding of their overall PA level. Methods: Twenty-nine career firefighters participated in this non-experimental, within-subjects study by wearing an accelerometer to assess PA intensities and step-count. Obesity was classified using body mass index (BMI). Dependent t-tests were used to examine mean differences in PA intensities when on- and off-duty. Pearson product-moment correlations were used to assess the association between PA intensities when on and off-duty. Results: According to the World Health Organization BMI categorizations, 20 firefighters were overweight, 9 were obese, and, thus, none were normal weight. Only light PA (LPA) was statistically significant (p = 0.026) for on- and off-duty days with a small-to-medium effect size (d = 0.47), meaning that on average, firefighters performed more minutes of LPA when on-duty compared to off. There was a significant difference between on- (9060.2 ± 2636.4) and off-duty (7495.3 ± 2835.8) daily step counts (p = 0.011). Conclusion: As the results demonstrate, there is a dire need for increased PA levels in firefighters while on- and off-duty. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Obesity)
13 pages, 981 KiB  
Article
Differences in Body Composition across Police Occupations and Moderation Effects of Leisure Time Physical Activity
by Filip Kukić, Katie M. Heinrich, Nenad Koropanovski, Walker S. C. Poston, Aleksandar Čvorović, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Orr and Milivoj Dopsaj
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(18), 6825; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17186825 - 18 Sep 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3020
Abstract
This study investigated differences in the body composition of police officers from different occupational groups and the moderation effects of leisure time physical activity (LTPA). A sample of 237 police officers (special anti-terrorist unit, gendarmerie, firefighters, and general duties) participated in the study. [...] Read more.
This study investigated differences in the body composition of police officers from different occupational groups and the moderation effects of leisure time physical activity (LTPA). A sample of 237 police officers (special anti-terrorist unit, gendarmerie, firefighters, and general duties) participated in the study. Body mass index (BMI), percent of body fat (%BF), percent of skeletal muscle mass (%SMM), and index of hypokinesia (IH) were assessed using a multichannel bioelectric impedance analyzer and officers reported the amount of LTPA using an international physical activity questionnaire. The sample was divided in three groups relative to LTPA, sedentary (0–149 min/week), moderately active (150–299 min/week), and very active (300+ min/week). Multiple analysis of variance (4 × 3) was used to analyze if occupational groups differed based solely on occupation, if officers from the same occupation differed in muscularity and fatness based on LTPA, and if any differences in body composition occurred between officers from different occupations with the same level of LTPA. Police officers from more physically demanding occupations demonstrated lower %BF and IH, while having higher %SMM. This was also observed among the officers of the same occupation who reported a higher LTPA, while officers who reported very high LTPA had similar body composition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Obesity)
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7 pages, 564 KiB  
Article
Despite Low Obesity Rates, Body Mass Index Under-Estimated Obesity among Russian Police Officers When Compared to Body Fat Percentage
by Katie M. Heinrich, Konstantin G. Gurevich, Anna N. Arkhangelskaia, Oleg P. Karazhelyaskov and Walker S. C. Poston
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(6), 1937; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17061937 - 16 Mar 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3227
Abstract
In some countries, obesity rates among police officers are higher than the general public, despite physically demanding jobs. Obesity rates based on body mass index (BMI) may lack accuracy as BMI does not directly address body composition. Since data are lacking for obesity [...] Read more.
In some countries, obesity rates among police officers are higher than the general public, despite physically demanding jobs. Obesity rates based on body mass index (BMI) may lack accuracy as BMI does not directly address body composition. Since data are lacking for obesity rates among Russian police officers, this study documented and compared officer obesity rates to the adult Russian population and compared the accuracy of body mass index (BMI) for obesity classification to two direct measures of body composition. Moscow region police officers (N = 182, 84% men) underwent height, weight, waist circumference (WC), and body fat percentage (BF%) bioelectrical impedance measurements during annual medical examinations. BMI-defined obesity rates were 4.6% for men and 17.2% for women, which were >3 and >1.8 times lower than Russian adults, respectively. WC-defined obesity rates were similar to BMI (3.3% for men and 10.3% for women), but BF%-defined obesity rates were much higher (22.2% for men and 55.2% for women). Although obesity rates were lower than those found among police officers in other countries, BMI alone was not a particularly accurate method for classifying weight status among Russian police officers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Obesity)
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13 pages, 329 KiB  
Article
Body Mass Index (BMI) and Work Ability in Older Workers: Results from the Health and Employment after Fifty (HEAF) Prospective Cohort Study
by Catherine H Linaker, Stefania D’Angelo, Holly E Syddall, E Clare Harris, Cyrus Cooper and Karen Walker-Bone
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(5), 1647; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph17051647 - 03 Mar 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3798
Abstract
This study explores associations between BMI and prolonged sickness absence; cutting down at work; and health-related job loss (HRJL) over two years of follow-up among workers aged ≥50 years. A cohort of 2299 men and 2425 women (aged 50–64 years) self-reported height and [...] Read more.
This study explores associations between BMI and prolonged sickness absence; cutting down at work; and health-related job loss (HRJL) over two years of follow-up among workers aged ≥50 years. A cohort of 2299 men and 2425 women (aged 50–64 years) self-reported height and weight at baseline and provided information about work ability at 12 and 24 months for the Health and Employment after Fifty (HEAF) Study. Associations between BMI and work ability were assessed by logistic regression and HRJL by multiple-record Cox’s proportional hazards models, with adjustment for other risk factors. The prevalence of obesity/severe obesity was 22.6%/1.2% amongst men and 21.4%/2.6% amongst women, respectively. In men and women, obesity and severe obesity predicted having to cut down at work for health over two years. In women, severe obesity predicted prolonged sickness absence, and also HRJL even after adjustment for age, proximity to retirement, financial difficulties, and lifestyle factors (hazard ratio [HR] 2.93, 95% CI 1.38, 6.23), and additional adjustment for health conditions (HR 2.52, 95% CI 1.12, 5.67). Obesity, and particularly severe obesity, negatively impacts work ability amongst people aged 50–64 years, with greatest effects in women. Obesity can be expected to hinder attempts to encourage work to older ages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Obesity)
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