Saf Health Work.
2015 Sep;6(3):192-199. 10.1016/j.shaw.2015.02.004.
Association Between Leisure Time Physical Activity, Cardiopulmonary Fitness, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Cardiovascular Workload at Work in Firefighters
- Affiliations
-
- 1Institute of Human Performance, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. clarecwyu@cuhk.edu.hk
- 2Department of Paediatrics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
- 3Physical Training Establishment, Hong Kong Fire Services, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
- 4Hong Kong Sports Institute, Hong Kong.
- 5Centre for Orthopaedic Surgery, Hong Kong.
- 6Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
- KMID: 2317195
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2015.02.004
Abstract
- BACKGROUND
Overweight, obesity, and cardiovascular disease risk factors are prevalent among firefighters in some developed countries. It is unclear whether physical activity and cardiopulmonary fitness reduce cardiovascular disease risk and the cardiovascular workload at work in firefighters. The present study investigated the relationship between leisure-time physical activity, cardiopulmonary fitness, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and cardiovascular workload at work in firefighters in Hong Kong.
METHODS
Male firefighters (n = 387) were randomly selected from serving firefighters in Hong Kong (n = 5,370) for the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk factors (obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking, known cardiovascular diseases). One-third (Target Group) were randomly selected for the assessment of off-duty leisure-time physical activity using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Maximal oxygen uptake was assessed, as well as cardiovascular workload using heart rate monitoring for each firefighter for four "normal" 24-hour working shifts and during real-situation simulated scenarios.
RESULTS
Overall, 33.9% of the firefighters had at least two cardiovascular disease risk factors. In the Target Group, firefighters who had higher leisure-time physical activity had a lower resting heart rate and a lower average working heart rate, and spent a smaller proportion of time working at a moderateintensity cardiovascular workload. Firefighters who had moderate aerobic fitness and high leisuretime physical activity had a lower peak working heart rate during the mountain rescue scenario compared with firefighters who had low leisure-time physical activities.
CONCLUSION
Leisure-time physical activity conferred significant benefits during job tasks of moderate cardiovascular workload in firefighters in Hong Kong.
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