A 7-Month Multidisciplinary Healthy Lifestyle Intervention Effectively Improved Cardiometabolic Risk Profile of Firefighters

J Occup Environ Med. 2024 Aug 1;66(8):605-614. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003116. Epub 2024 Apr 12.

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the effect of a 7-month healthy lifestyle intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) among male career military firefighters (FFs).

Methods: Forty-nine FFs participated in a 7-month workplace multiddisciplinary healthy lifestyle intervention designed to reduce CMRF through exercise, diet, and improved sleep. Medical assessments, accelerometry, and surveys at the beginning and end determined program effectiveness.

Results: At the end of the intervention period, there was a significant improvement in measures of body composition and blood glucose. The prevalence of hypertension also decreased significantly ( P < 0.01). The 57% of participants who fully adhered to the program had significantly greater improvements across multiple CMRF. Participants increased their physical activity and improved their diet following the intervention.

Conclusions: This healthy lifestyle intervention was effective in changing behavior and lowering cardiometabolic risk among FFs.

MeSH terms

  • Accelerometry
  • Adult
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Body Composition
  • Cardiometabolic Risk Factors*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / prevention & control
  • Diet
  • Exercise*
  • Firefighters*
  • Health Promotion / methods
  • Healthy Lifestyle*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Hypertension / prevention & control
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Military Personnel
  • Sleep

Substances

  • Blood Glucose