'Prosiect Sir Gâr': workplace-based cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk assessments

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes remain two of the greatest health challenges in the UK. Government guidelines recommend screening for both of these conditions to identify individuals at high risk. Assessing individuals in the work environment for these two conditions as part of routine annual medicals could have benefits for both the employee and employer.

To introduce the Prosiect Sir Gâr workplace-based initiative for CVD and diabetes prevention and report some of the baseline measurements in regards to CVD and diabetes risk.

Individuals from two workplaces (local health board and steelworks) attended a medical health check with an added CVD and diabetes risk assessment component. Demographic and anthropometric data, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, smoking status and family and medical histories were recorded. Blood samples were analysed for total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and HbA1c. Ten year risk of CVD and diabetes were predicted using the QRISK2 and QDiabetes algorithms. Individuals at high risk of either condition were referred to a lifestyle intervention programme.

Among over 800 individuals screened a high prevalence of central obesity (75%), systolic hypertension (20%) and diastolic hypertension (23%) were observed in both workforces. In addition, a substantial proportion of the workers were either 'overweight' (42%) or 'obese' (28%).

Introducing CVD and diabetes risk assessments to routine annual medicals in the workplace uncovered significant isolated risk factors for both CVD and diabetes that may otherwise have remained undiagnosed. This approach also gave employers a more detailed awareness of the current health of their employees.