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Firefighters Are More Physically Active On-Duty Compared to Off-Duty
Allison M Barry1, Katie L Lyman2, Nathan D Dicks3
1Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS 66762, USA.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|December 18, 2020
Summary
Firefighter physical activity (PA) levels are low, with most overweight or obese. On-duty firefighters engaged in more light PA and took more steps than off-duty, highlighting a need for increased activity.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Exercise Physiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Firefighters face elevated cardiovascular event risks due to physical inactivity and high obesity rates.
- Understanding firefighters' physical activity (PA) patterns is crucial for mitigating health risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate device-measured physical activity (PA) levels in firefighters during both on-duty and off-duty periods.
- To assess the overall PA status of career firefighters.
Main Methods:
- A within-subjects study involving 29 career firefighters wearing accelerometers to measure PA intensities and step counts.
- Body Mass Index (BMI) was used to classify obesity levels.
- Paired t-tests and Pearson correlations analyzed differences and associations in PA between on- and off-duty periods.
Main Results:
- The majority of firefighters were classified as overweight (20) or obese (9) based on WHO BMI categories.
- A statistically significant increase in light physical activity (LPA) was observed on-duty compared to off-duty (p=0.026).
- Firefighters recorded significantly more daily steps on-duty (9060.2 ± 2636.4) versus off-duty (7495.3 ± 2835.8) (p=0.011).
Conclusions:
- Firefighter physical activity levels require significant improvement during both work and non-work hours.
- Interventions promoting increased PA are essential for this occupational group to reduce cardiovascular risks.
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