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Work patterns, sleeping hours and excess weight in commercial drivers.
1Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, 4243 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA, michael.lemke@hlkn.tamu.edu.
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|June 28, 2015
Summary
Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Public Health
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers face demanding work schedules.
- These schedules often involve long hours, shift work, and poor sleep, contributing to health issues like obesity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between work patterns, sleep characteristics, and obesity in CMV drivers.
- To identify specific work and sleep factors associated with weight status in this population.
Main Methods:
- A survey and anthropometric measurements were conducted on 260 male long-haul CMV drivers.
- Body Mass Index (BMI) and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) were used to assess obesity and central adiposity.
Main Results:
- 64% of drivers were obese or morbidly obese (mean BMI 33.1), and 89% were at high cardiometabolic risk (mean SAD 32.3cm).
- Irregular work schedules, long daily hours, and less than 7 hours of sleep were common.
- Daily hours worked and driver age predicted BMI, while age also predicted SAD. Shift work and sleep duration predicted sleep quality.
Conclusions:
- Work and sleep patterns significantly influence the weight status of CMV drivers.
- Shift work and insufficient sleep duration are linked to obesity and indicate poor sleep quality in this occupational group.
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