Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome and Work Ability Test Performance in Firefighters

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Cardiovascular health
• Physiology

Background:

• Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions increasing cardiovascular disease risk.
• Firefighting is a physically demanding occupation requiring high levels of functional capacity.
• The impact of MetS on occupational performance in firefighters remains under-investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between metabolic syndrome and occupational performance in firefighters.
• To determine if MetS components affect specific job-related tasks.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 309 firefighters.
• Metabolic syndrome assessed via physical measures.
• Occupational performance evaluated using a Work Ability Test (WAT) with six tasks.
• Statistical analysis included t-tests and regression models.

Main Results:

• Firefighters with four MetS risk factors were less likely to pass the rescue drag task.
• Elevated triglycerides correlated with poorer performance on the forcible entry task.
• Central obesity significantly reduced the likelihood of passing the overall WAT and specific tasks like step-up, charged hose drag, equipment carry, and rescue drag.

Conclusions:

• Metabolic syndrome is associated with diminished occupational performance in firefighters.
• The negative impact on work performance intensifies with an increasing number of MetS risk factors.