Commercial Driver Medical Examinations. Issue 6 (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thiese, Matthew S.; Moffitt, Gary; Hanowski, Richard J.; Kales, Stefanos N.; Porter, Richard J.; Hegmann, Kurt T.
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 57:Issue 6(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000422
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Objective:</title> <p>The objective of this study was to assess relationships between body mass index (BMI) and comorbid conditions within a large sample of truck drivers.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Methods:</title> <p>Commercial driver medical examination data from 88, 246 commercial drivers between 2005 and 2012 were analyzed for associations between BMI, medical disorders, and driver certification.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Results:</title> <p>Most drivers were obese (53.3%, BMI &gt;30.0 kg/m²) and morbidly obese (26.6%, BMI &gt;35.0 kg/m²), higher than prior reports. Obese drivers were less likely to be certified for 2 years and more likely to report heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, nervous disorders, sleep disorders, and chronic low back pain (all P &lt; 0.0001). There are relationships between multiple potentially disqualifying conditions and increasing obesity (P &lt; 0.0001). Morbid obesity prevalence increased 8.9% and prevalence of three or more multiple conditions increased fourfold between 2005 and 2012.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusions:</title> <p>Obesity is related to multiple medical factors as well as increasing numbers of conditions that limit driving certification.</p> </sec> </abstract>