Cardiorespiratory Fitness Is Associated with a Reduced Cardiovascular Risk in Occupational Groups with Different Working Conditions: A Cross-Sectional Study among Police Officers and Office Workers

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Metabolic Syndrome among Police Officers in Kozhikode Corporation

Context

Police personnel constitute a special occupational group with exposure to stressful work environment indirectly resulting in a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, including metabolic syndrome (MS), hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cigarette smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle is reported among policemen. Surveillance activities are limited in the present scenario.

Aims

The present study was designed to measure the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors among police officers in Kozhikode district and observe the trend over the last 10 years.

Settings and Design

The design was cross-sectional and spanned 630 policemen of Kozhikode Corporation in Kerala Methods and Material: Data collection was done using a pre-tested questionnaire. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were carried out using standard techniques. MS was diagnosed using the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Statistical Analysis Used

Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 20.0 software. Prevalence of MS and cardiovascular risk factors were expressed as percentages (95% CI). Associated factors with MS were identified using Chi square test.

Results

MS was observed in 45.1% of the study population. Obesity and lack of physical activity were the commonest abnormalities. Cardiovascular risk factors identified were high body mass index (67.3%), lack of physical activity (47.1%), hypertension (16.7%), alcohol use (24.2%), smoking (17.3%) and diabetes (8.8%).

Conclusions

There is a rising prevalence (16.8% in 2012 to 45.1% in 2021) of Metabolic Syndrome among policemen in Calicut Corporation. All the cardio vascular risk factors are also highly prevalent among the policemen. Policy makers might seriously take up the issue and introduce effective policies that might help reduce the incidence of MS and other cardio vascular risk factors in the newly recruited young policemen.

Upper and lower musculoskeletal back pain, stress, physical activity, and organisational work support: An exploratory study of police investigative interviewers

Police investigative interviewers in special victims' units have particularly stressing work conditions. Being few in numbers, with highly specialised competence, the health and well-being of this workgroup are key. This study explores the prevalence of muscular lower and upper back pain and stress and associations with physical activity and organisational work support among 77 police investigators. The police investigative interviewers reported high levels of physical activity. Compared to other police employees, they reported similar levels of musculoskeletal back pain, higher levels of upper back pain, and higher levels of stress. Physical activity was not related to musculoskeletal back pain. In the regression analysis, musculoskeletal back pain was negatively associated with organisational work support. Limitations due to low statistical power and a cross-sectional design apply. However, the study provides interesting insight into the prevalence of musculoskeletal back pain and its association with organisational work support and stress among police employees.

A Non-Exercise Model for Predicting Cardiovascular Risks among Apparently Healthy Male Office Workers-Cross-Sectional Analysis: A Pilot Study

The health condition of working-age males in Poland remains largely associated with long-lasting sick leaves, one of the main reasons of which being cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The aim of this work was to develop a prediction model for FIT Treadmill Score (“FIT” refers to Henry Ford ExercIse Testing (FIT) Project) that only depends on easily accessible somatic data and smoking without the need to perform the exercise test anymore. The study comprised 146 men with a negative cardiological history, aged 26–60, with desk-jobs. By means of regression analysis it was tested to what degree obesity-related indices as well as smoking cigarettes allow for determining the measure level of mortality risk, without the necessity of performing an exercise test. The following independent variables were entered into the linear regression model: age, BMI, Fat%, waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR) as well as smoking. Statistically significant factors were singled out from among them. The obtained model accounts for a significant part (over 87%) of the variability of the mortality risk measure among the tested population. Based on the value of the standardised regression coefficient β, it can be stated that age is the factor that mostly determines the mortality risk measure, followed by the WHtR and smoking. The simplicity of the worked-out model and, resulting from it, the possibility of its common application should enable better health monitoring of working-age men with regard to cardiovascular disease occurrence and, related to it, mortality risk, thereby improving the quality of public health management.