Preventing Chronic Disease | Physician Weight Recommendations for Overweight and Obese Firefighters, United States, 2011–2012 - CDC
Physician Weight Recommendations for Overweight and Obese Firefighters, United States, 2011–2012
Michelle Lynn Wilkinson, MPH; Austin Lane Brown, PhD; Walker Seward Carlos Poston, PhD; Christopher Keith Haddock, PhD; Sara Anne Jahnke, PhD; Rena Sue Day, PhD
Suggested citation for this article: Wilkinson ML, Brown AL, Poston WS, Haddock CK, Jahnke SA, Day RS. Physician Weight Recommendations for Overweight and Obese Firefighters, United States, 2011–2012. Prev Chronic Dis 2014;11:140091. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.140091
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Abstract
Introduction
National guidelines state that health care professionals (HCPs) should advise patients on the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. Firefighters have high rates of obesity, and cardiovascular events are the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in firefighters. This study assessed the association of age and body mass index (BMI) with HCP weight recommendations among male firefighters.
National guidelines state that health care professionals (HCPs) should advise patients on the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. Firefighters have high rates of obesity, and cardiovascular events are the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in firefighters. This study assessed the association of age and body mass index (BMI) with HCP weight recommendations among male firefighters.
Methods
We used data on self-reported HCP weight recommendations and measured BMI from a 2011–2012 national sample of male firefighters (N = 1,002). HCP recommendations were recorded as no advice, maintain, gain, or lose weight, and BMI was categorized as normal (<25.0 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), class I obese (30.0–34.9 kg/m2), and class II or III obese (≥35.0 kg/m2). We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate the odds of receiving weight advice by age and BMI categories.
We used data on self-reported HCP weight recommendations and measured BMI from a 2011–2012 national sample of male firefighters (N = 1,002). HCP recommendations were recorded as no advice, maintain, gain, or lose weight, and BMI was categorized as normal (<25.0 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), class I obese (30.0–34.9 kg/m2), and class II or III obese (≥35.0 kg/m2). We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate the odds of receiving weight advice by age and BMI categories.
Results
Most firefighters (96%) reported visiting an HCP in the past year. Most (69%) firefighters and 48% of class I to III obese firefighters reported receiving no weight advice. Higher BMI predicted HCP advice to lose weight (odds ratio class I obese vs normal weight: 12.98; 95% confidence interval: 5.38–31.34). Younger firefighters were less likely to receive weight loss advice than older firefighters, except among those who were class II or III obese.
Most firefighters (96%) reported visiting an HCP in the past year. Most (69%) firefighters and 48% of class I to III obese firefighters reported receiving no weight advice. Higher BMI predicted HCP advice to lose weight (odds ratio class I obese vs normal weight: 12.98; 95% confidence interval: 5.38–31.34). Younger firefighters were less likely to receive weight loss advice than older firefighters, except among those who were class II or III obese.
Conclusions
HCPs are important sources of health information for firefighters. Overweight and obese firefighters, particularly those who are younger, do not consistently receive HCP advice to lose weight. This marks a missed opportunity to prevent further weight gain and reduce obesity-related health outcomes.
HCPs are important sources of health information for firefighters. Overweight and obese firefighters, particularly those who are younger, do not consistently receive HCP advice to lose weight. This marks a missed opportunity to prevent further weight gain and reduce obesity-related health outcomes.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by Assistance to Firefighters Grants program managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Department of Homeland Security (EMW-2009-FP-01971) and (EMW-2010-FP-01812). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Author Information
Corresponding Author: Rena Sue Day, PhD, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, 1200 Pressler Dr, RAS E1027, Houston, TX 77030. Telephone: 713-500-9317. E-mail: rena.s.day@uth.tmc.edu.
Michelle Lynn Wilkinson, Austin Lane Brown,The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, Texas; Walker Seward Carlos Poston, Christopher Keith Haddock, Sara Anne Jahnke, National Development and Research Institutes, Leawood, Kansas.
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