Dataset Information

Aerobic Capacity, Physical Activity and Metabolic Risk Factors in Firefighters Compared with Police Officers and Sedentary Clerks.

ABSTRACT:

Background

This study examined the association between the physical work environment and physiological performance measures, physical activity levels and metabolic parameters among German civil servants. A main focus in this study was to examine the group differences rather than measuring the absolute values in an occupational group.

Methods

We prospectively examined 198 male German civil servants (97 firefighters [FFs], 55 police officers [POs] and 46 sedentary clerks [SCs]). For each parameter, the groups were compared using a linear regression adjusted for age.

Results

The 97 FFs showed a similar maximal aerobic power (VO2max l/min) of 3.17±0.44 l/min compared with the POs, who had a maximal aerobic power of 3.13±0.62 l/min (estimated difference, POs vs. FFs: 0.05, CI: -0.12-0.23, p=0.553). The maximal aerobic power of the FFs was slightly higher than that of the SCs, who had a maximal aerobic power of 2.85±0.52 l/min (-0.21, CI: -0.39-0.04, p=0.018 vs. FFs). The average physical activity (in metabolic equivalents [METS]/week) of the FFs was 3953±2688, whereas those of the POs was 2838±2872 (vs. FFs: -985, CI: -1941-30, p = 0.043) and of the SCs 2212±2293 (vs. FFs: -1598.8, CI: -2477-721, p = 0.000; vs. POs: -613.6, CI: -1617.4–390.3, p = 0.229), respectively [corrected]. For the FFs, the average body fat percentage was 17.7%±6.2, whereas it was 21.4%±5.6 for the POs (vs. FFs: 2.75, CI: 0.92-4.59, p=0.004) and 20.8%±6.5 for the SCs (vs. FFs: 1.98, CI: -0.28-4.25, p=0.086; vs. POs: -0.77, CI: 3.15-1.61, p=0.523). The average waist circumference was 89.8 cm±10.0 for the FFs, 97.8 cm±12.4 (5.63, CI: 2.10-9.15, p=0.002) for the POs, and 97.3±11.7 (vs. FFs: -4.89, CI: 1.24-8.55, p=0.009; vs. POs: -0.73, CI: -5.21-3.74, p=0.747) for the SCs.

Conclusions

The FFs showed significantly higher physical activity levels compared with the SCs. The PO group had the highest cardiovascular risk of all of the groups because it included more participants with metabolic syndrome; furthermore, the POs had an average of 2.75% higher body fat, lower HDL cholesterol values and higher waist circumferences compared with the FFs and higher LDL cholesterol values compared with the SCs. Our data indicate that sedentary occupations appear to be linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged men.

SUBMITTER: Leischik R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4506022 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Aerobic Capacity, Physical Activity and Metabolic Risk Factors in Firefighters Compared with Police Officers and Sedentary Clerks.

Leischik Roman R Foshag Peter P Strauß Markus M Littwitz Henning H Garg Pankaj P Dworrak Birgit B Horlitz Marc M

PloS one 20150717 7

<h4>Background</h4>This study examined the association between the physical work environment and physiological performance measures, physical activity levels and metabolic parameters among German civil servants. A main focus in this study was to examine the group differences rather than measuring the absolute values in an occupational group.<h4>Methods</h4>We prospectively examined 198 male German civil servants (97 firefighters [FFs], 55 police officers [POs] and 46 sedentary clerks [SCs]). For ...[more]

PMID: 26186442

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Project description:BackgroundPublic Safety Personnel (e.g., firefighters, paramedics, and police officers) are routinely exposed to human suffering and need to make quick, morally challenging decisions. Such decisions can affect their psychological wellbeing. Participating in or observing an event or situation that conflicts with personal values can potentially lead to the development of moral injury. Common stressors associated with moral injury include betrayal, inability to prevent death or harm, and ethical dilemmas. Potentially psychologically traumatic event exposures and post-traumatic stress disorder can be comorbid with moral injury; however, moral injury extends beyond fear to include spiritual, cognitive, emotional or existential struggles, which can produce feelings of severe shame, guilt, and anger.ObjectiveThis scoping review was designed to identify the extant empirical research regarding the construct of moral injury, its associated constructs, and how it relates to moral distress in firefighters, paramedics, and police officers.MethodsA systematic literature search of peer-reviewed research was conducted using databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsychInfo, CINHAL PLUS, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. Included studies were selected based on the inclusion criteria before being manually extracted and independently screened by two reviewers.ResultsThe initial database search returned 777 articles, 506 of which remained after removal of duplicates. Following review of titles, abstracts, and full texts, 32 studies were included in the current review. Participants in the articles were primarily police officers, with fewer articles focusing on paramedics and firefighters. There were two studies that included mixed populations (i.e., one study with police officers, firefighters, and other emergency service workers; one study with paramedic and firefighter incident commanders). Most studies were qualitative and focused on four topics: values, ethical decision-making, organizational betrayal, and spirituality.ConclusionPublic safety organizations appear to recognize the experience of moral distress or moral injury among public safety personnel that results from disconnects between personal core values, formal and informal organizational values, vocational duties, and expectations. Further research is needed to better understand moral distress or moral injury specific to public safety personnel and inform training and treatment in support of public safety personnel mental health.

Project description:Shift workers suffer from a constellation of symptoms associated with disruption of circadian rhythms including sleep abnormalities, and abnormal hormone secretion (e.g. melatonin, cortisol). Recent, but limited, evidence suggests that shift workers have elevated levels of circulating white blood cells (WBCs) compared to their day working counterparts. Interestingly, recent reviews highlight the strong linkage between the immune system and circadian rhythms which includes, but is not limited to, circulating cell populations and functions. The elevated levels of these WBCs may be associated with the increased chronic disease risk observed among this group. The purpose of this analysis was to examine the cross-sectional association between long- and short-term (3, 5, 7, and 14 days) shiftwork (SW) and counts of WBCs among officers in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) cohort. Data collection for this analysis took place among 464 police officers working in Buffalo, New York, USA between 2004 and 2009. Precise SW histories were obtained using electronic payroll records. Officers were assigned a shift type based on the shift (i.e. day, evening, night) that they spent a majority (i.e. ≥50%) of their time from 1994 to the data collection date for long-term SW. The same process was applied to SW over 3, 5, 7, and 14 days prior to data collection. A fasted blood sample collected in the morning of a non-work day was used for characterization of WBCs (total), neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and basophils. Potential confounding factors included demographic characteristics (e.g. age, sex, race), occupational characteristics (e.g. rank), health behaviors (e.g. smoking, alcohol consumption, diet), anthropometrics, and other biomarkers (e.g. lipids, hemoglobin A1C, leptin). Generalized linear models were used to estimate least square means of the immune cells according to SW categorization for long- and short-term SW histories. Compared to the day shift group, those working long-term night shifts had greater absolute numbers of total WBCs, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes (all p < 0.05). Those working mainly on the night shift over 7-days had elevated counts of WBCs, lymphocytes, and monocytes (p < 0.05) compared to those mainly working day shifts. Results based on 3-, 5-, and 14-day SW were similar to the 7-day results. This study corroborates other studies with similar findings. However, this analysis provided insights into the effect of both long- and short-term SW on the number of circulating WBCs. SW may lead to disruption of circadian-influenced components of the immune system, which in term, may result in various chronic diseases. These findings, plus previous findings, may provide evidence that SW may lead to immune system dysregulation. Future research is needed to understand whether increases in immune cells among shift workers may be associated with the increased disease risk among this group.

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Dataset Information

Aerobic Capacity, Physical Activity and Metabolic Risk Factors in Firefighters Compared with Police Officers and Sedentary Clerks.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Aerobic Capacity, Physical Activity and Metabolic Risk Factors in Firefighters Compared with Police Officers and Sedentary Clerks.

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