Work and diet-related risk factors of cardiovascular diseases: comparison of two occupational groups

Type 2 diabetes in the employed population: do rates and trends differ among nine occupational sectors? An analysis using German health insurance claims data

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic inequalities in type 2 diabetes (T2D) are well established in the literature. However, within the background of changing work contexts associated with digitalization and its effect on lifestyle and sedentary behavior, little is known on T2D prevalence and trends among different occupational groups. This study aims to examine occupational sector differences in T2D prevalence and trends thereof between 2012 and 2019.

METHODS

The study was done on 1.683.644 employed individuals using data from the German statutory health insurance provider in Lower Saxony, the "Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse Niedersachsen" (AOKN). Predicted probabilities for T2D prevalence in four two-year periods between 2012 and 2019 were estimated based on logistic regression analyses for nine occupational sectors. Prevalence ratios were calculated to illustrate the effect of time period on the prevalence of T2D among the nine occupational sectors. Analyses were stratified by gender and two age groups.

RESULTS

Results showed differences among occupational sectors in the predicted probabilities for T2D. The occupational sectors "Transport, logistics, protection and security" and "Health sector, social work, teaching & education" had the highest predicted probabilities, while those working in the sector "Agriculture" had by far the lowest predicted probabilities for T2D. Over all, there appeared to be a rising trend in T2D prevalence among younger employed individuals, with gender differences among occupational sectors.

CONCLUSION

The study displayed different vulnerability levels among occupational sectors with respect to T2D prevalence overall and for its rising trend among the younger age group. Specific occupations within the vulnerable sectors need to be focused upon in further research to define specific target groups to which T2D prevention interventions should be tailored.

Social, Economic, Technological, and Environmental Factors Affecting Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Thematic Analysis

Background

Today, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in both sexes. There are several risk factors for heart diseases; some controllable, others not. However, socioeconomic, technological, and environmental factors can impact CVD as well as exclusive risk factors. Accurate identification and assessment of these factors are often difficult. In the present systematic review, we aimed to explore factors affecting CVD.

Methods

Multiple databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane) and gray literature were searched. The included studies described at least one determinant of CVD. The framework method was applied to analyze the qualitative data.

Results

A total of 64 studies from 26 countries were included. The contextual determinants of CVD were categorized into 45 determinants, 15 factors, and 4 main social, economic, technological, and environmental categories. The 15 potentially reversible factors were identified as sociodemographic, violence, smoking, occupation, positive childhood experience, social inequalities, psychological distress, eating habits, neighborhood, family income, rapid technology, environmental pollution, living environments, noise, and disaster.

Conclusions

Devolution and more efficient health policies are required to achieve further sustained reduction in CVD mortality, increase life expectancy, and reduce its associated risk factors. Policymakers should fully address the value of social, economic, technological, and environmental factors. In fact, a prevention agenda should be developed and updated collaboratively in terms of the determinant factors.

Occupational Health Aspects with Special Focus on Physiological Differences between Office and Metalworkers

Physical workload adversely impacts inflammation, oxidative stress and mood in heavy workers. We compared these risk parameters between metalworkers (n = 20) and office workers (n = 30), including gender differences. Blood samples were analyzed with thirty parameters to overview endocrinology, inflammation, and psychological and oxidative stress. Despite an adequate antioxidative supply, oxidative stress occurred in metalworkers, as indicated by significantly increased peroxide and homocysteine (Hcy) levels. Moreover, increased concentrations were observed in this group regarding psychological stress and diet-related parameters. Sex-specific differences were determined for physical dimensions, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), Hcy, uric acid, triglycerides, osmolality, anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and testosterone. Age-associated differences were observed for DHEAS, glycosylated hemoglobin, adrenaline, AMH and testosterone. In male office workers, the body mass index was associated with increased LDL-HDL, cholesterol-HDL and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). In conclusion, these results indicate increased oxidative stress and psychological stress in heavy workers independently of adequate antioxidant sustenance. The sedentary occupation of office workers, in turn, favored diseases of affluence. This might be particularly relevant for long-term occupied persons and older workers due to a hormonal shift coming along, given the risk for oxidative stress-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, particularly in the case of males, based on their lifestyle habits.

Physical and psychological stress along with candle fumes induced-cardiopulmonary injury mimicking restaurant kitchen workers

Restaurant kitchens are work areas where involve strict and hierarchal environments that promote opportunity for bullying and workplace aggression and violence. These physical and psychological stress and fumes ultimately trigger severe occupational stress by disrupting the body's homeostasis that might induce cardiopulmonary injury. The study aimed to investigate the physical and psychological stress and candle fumes on cardiopulmonary injury in an animal model mimicking a restaurant kitchen worker. Social disruption stress (SDR) mice were exposed to scented candle fumes (4.5 h/d, 5 d/wk) in an exposure chamber for 8 weeks. Exposure to burning scented candles failed to reduce serum corticosterone level and increased proinflammatory cytokines levels and NF-ƙB activity in the lung. In addition, burning scented candle fumes synergistically increased SDR-induced serum LDH, CPK, CKMB levels, proinflammatory cytokines production as well as NF-ƙB activation in the lung and heart. Further, cardiac HIF-1α and BNP levels were also increased. We conclude that the physical and psychological stress along with candle fumes might induce cardiopulmonary injury in mice. These results could be extrapolated to restaurant kitchen workers.

Catering Work Profession and Medico-Oral Health: A Study on 603 Subjects

The present observational prospective study analyzes the eating habits in association with the medico-oral health of catering workers, since they seem the category at higher risk of developing dental problems. Objective: To evaluate oral and medical health through a questionnaire in a total sample of 603 participants. Additionally, this article aims to provide information regarding the medico-oral implications of an unbalanced diet linked to this particular profession. Material and methods: A questionnaire created through Google Forms platform was sent to all members of the Italian Federation of Chefs (FIC). The mean age was 46.9 ± 32.6 ranging from 17 to 66 years old. Results: Catering workers’ years of service showed a significant impact on the presence of teeth pain (p < 0.05), missing teeth (excluding the third molars) (p < 0.01), treatment with prothesis (p < 0.01), dental fillings (p < 0.01), dental extractions (p < 0.01), diabetes (p < 0.05), high blood pressure (p < 0.01), joint pain (p < 0.01), back pain (p < 0.01), neck pain (p < 0.01), and gastroesophageal reflux (p < 0.05). Conclusions: A conspicuous part of the study sample was overweight, with a high BMI. Moreover, the years of service in this field showed significant impact on dental problems. Therefore, a very important role is that of preventing dental problems and giving information on the causes and effects unknown to many workers in the sector.

Prospective Evaluation of Cardiovascular, Cardiorespiratory, and Metabolic Risk of German Office Workers in Comparison to International Data

Background: Employment in the administrative sector is characterized by prolonged sedentary work, which has been tied to increased morbidity and compromised health. The aim of this study was to determine cardiovascular, cardiorespiratory and metabolic risk parameters of German office workers (OWs) in comparison to OWs from other nations. Material and Methods: A total of 46 male office workers from the North Rhine-Westphalia region (Germany) participated in the survey. Anthropometric measurements, cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, as well as laboratory parameters were taken. The 10-year cardiovascular risk was calculated by using the Framingham risk score. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was based on the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation. Cardiorespiratory status was assessed by exercise spirometry. Results: The analyzed group of OWs demonstrated a high prevalence of preobesity (Body Mass Index 26.4 ± 4 and waist circumference 97.3 ± 11.7 cm) and 58.7% of the OWs showed an abnormally large waist circumference. Cardiovascular risk was correspondingly elevated as compared with other international studies (9.7% ± 9.2%). High risk cardiovascular profiles were detected in 10.7% of the participants and 33% of the OWs in our study group were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. The oxygen uptake of the OWs was 34.1 ± 8.1 mL/kg⁻¹·min⁻¹. Conclusions: The German OWs show elevated cardiovascular risk assessed using the Framingham risk score and also a high tendency for metabolic syndrome. The OWs need to be made further aware of the cardiovascular risk and resulting health implications. Implementation of health promotion concepts such as corporate sports activities or nutrition courses should be taken into consideration to counteract cardiovascular risk factors and the subsequent development of cardiovascular disease in later life.

Effects of Occupational Health and Safety on Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors of Workers Employed in a Private Company in Turkey

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that inappropriate working conditions and unsafe environments at construction sites, longer working hours, and inadequate workplaces adversely affect the health behaviors of workers.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of occupational health and safety (OHS) practices on healthy lifestyle behaviors of workers employed at a construction site of a private company in Gaziantep, Turkey.

METHODS

The sampling size of this descriptive study consisted of 400 employees working at the construction site between December 2014 and January 2015. In all, 341 employees still working or participating in the study during the period of this questionnaire study were included in the sampling. Data from the survey were derived from responses to questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics, OHS applications, health state, and working conditions, as well as to the questions in on the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale (HLBS), under direct surveillance.

FINDINGS

Male workers with a mean age of 30.61 ± 8.68 years constituted the study population. Of the workers, 41.9% had a primary school education. The majority received professional and OHS training (65.7% and 79.2%, respectively). Although 83.9% reported using personal protective equipment (PPE), only 2.1% said they had experienced an occupational accident. Total mean score of HLBS scale was 116.91 ± 25.62 points. Workers who had positive thoughts about their jobs demonstrated healthy lifestyle behaviors (P = .0001). A positive direct correlation was detected between the training the workers received and the use of PPE (P = .0001). In all, 38.1% of the workers reported experiencing work stress at the time of the study. Mean HLBS scores of those experiencing work stress were lower than the scores for workers not experiencing stress (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Receiving OHS and professional training and using of PPE favorably affect healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Knowledge and prevalence of risk factors for arterial hypertension and blood pressure pattern among bankers and traffic wardens in Ilorin, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

High job strain, mental stress, sedentary lifestyle, increase in BMI are among the factors associated with significantly higher incidence of hypertension. The job of bank employees is both sedentary in nature and accompanies high mental stress. The aim of this study is to assess the level of knowledge of risk factors among respondents and to compare the blood pressure pattern of bankers and traffic wardens.

METHODOLOGY

The study design is a descriptive cross-sectional conducted among bankers and traffic wardens in Ilorin to determine the pattern and knowledge of blood pressure. Self-administered questionnaires, weighing scale (Omron Digital scale), stadiometer and sphygmomanometer were used as the research instruments. Simple random sampling was used to select respondents involved in the study.

RESULTS

The prevalence of hypertension in this study was 34.4% in bankers and 22.2% in traffic wardens. The risk factors the bankers commonly had knowledge of are alcohol, obesity, high salt intake, certain drugs, stress, emotional problems and family history while the traffic wardens commonly had knowledge of all these in addition to cigarette smoking. Also, more bankers (32.2%) than traffic wardens (13.3%) were smoking cigarette and more of these cigarette smokers that are bankers (17.8%) had elevated blood pressure compared to the traffic wardens (3.3%).

CONCLUSION

Workers in the banking industry as well as traffic wardens should be better educated about the risk factors of hypertension and bankers should be encouraged to create time for exercise.

Increased plasma plant sterol concentrations and a heterozygous amino acid exchange in ATP binding cassette transporter ABCG5: a case report

Whilst conducting a scientific study, an elevated plasma plant sterol concentration of 3.07 mg/dL was established in one proband. Similar levels found in his mothers plasma (2.73 mg/dL) were suggestive of a heterozygous sitosterolemia. The resulting gene analysis for ATP binding cassette transporter G5/G8 (ABCG5/G8) revealed a heterozygous polymorphism in ABCG8 (Thr400Lys, rs4148217), which the proband had inherited from his father. However, a heterozygous amino acid exchange (Arg406Gln) in exon 9 of ABCG5 was revealed, which was inherited from his mother. Although not sufficient evidence exists to regard this sequence variation as a mutation, this previously unreleased sequence variation occurred in a "hot spot" area for sitosterolemia of the ABCG5 gene (exon 9) and the similar increased plasma plant sterol concentrations of the heterozygous mother contribute to the notion, that this very likely presents an inactivating mutation.