Long-Haul Truckers More Likely to Be Obese, NIOSH Finds
The agency released a study that found long-haul truck drivers are twice as likely to be obese when compared to the rest of the working population.
NIOSH has released a study that found long-haul truck drivers are twice as likely to be obese than the rest of the working population and are more likely to smoke and suffer from other chronic diseases.
Published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, the study is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive look at the health status, risk factors, and practices of long-haul truckers in the United States, according to NIOSH. In order to complete the survey, NIOSH interviewed 1,670 truckers at various stops across the country in 2010, asking them about their health and work practices. Of those interviewed, 69 percent were found to be obese and 54 percent smoked, while 88 percent reported having a risk factor (e.g., hypertension, obesity, and smoking) for chronic disease.
Click here to access a copy of the full study.