One-year weight change and long-term sickness absence in professional firefighters

Little is known about the association between weight change (particularly moderate weight loss, 5-10% in initial weight) and long-term sickness absence (LSA) in working populations.

Three hundred and forty professional firefighters reported their current and past (1 year ago) weights in a cross-sectional survey, along with their LSA experience due to a severe accident, injury, or illness during the previous 12 months.

The prevalence of LSA was 14.7%. In the non-smoking male firefighters, the prevalence of LSA was 3.4% in those with moderate weight loss over the past year; 13.3% in those who maintained their weight; and 21.7% in those who gained their weight moderately: gamma coefficient, 0.44 (95%CI: 0.05, 0.66). The linear association remained significant after further controlling for age and alcohol consumption. And it was similar across the adiposity strata (normal weight, overweight, and obesity) of the firefighters 1 year ago.

One-year weight loss was associated with decreased risk of LSA in professional firefighters.