Weight loss advice and prospective weight change among overweight firefighters

Obesity compromises firefighter safety, yet more than 70% of firefighters are overweight. Though healthcare professionals are encouraged to counsel overweight patients, the effectiveness of weight counseling is not consistent across studies.

Examine longitudinal changes in cardiovascular risk factors and determine the role of healthcare professional weight loss advice on six-month weight changes among a national sample of male, overweight and obese firefighters.

This study included baseline and six-month assessments of 757 firefighters. Medical and demographic data were collected using questionnaires. Investigators collected height, weight, percent body fat, waist circumference, blood pressure, and fasting serum samples (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, glucose). Multilevel linear regression assessed the association between weight advice and outcomes.

Participants lost an average of 0.55 kg (95%CI: 0.17-0.93), and experienced significant improvements in systolic blood pressure (mean: 3.75 mm Hg; 95% CI: 2.35-5.14) and non-significant improvements in other clinical outcomes. Healthcare professional weight advice was not significantly associated with weight loss or other outcomes.

Similar to other studies, results show little benefit of low intensity weight loss counseling. Additional research is needed to identify effective and feasible weight management strategies to address firefighter obesity.