Objective: The aim of this study was to examine relationships between work organization features of work hours, work schedules, and job stress with body mass indexes (BMIs) of long-haul truck drivers.
Methods: Face-to-face survey data were collected first, followed by collection of anthropometric measures including height and weight (n = 260). Logistic regression (backward stepwise model) was used to identify significant predictors of BMI and to analyze odds ratios.
Results: Mean BMI was 33.40 kg/m(2), with 64.2% obese (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)) and 18.4% extreme/morbidly obese (BMI > 40 kg/m(2)). Working more than 11 daily hours was associated with statistically significant increased odds for being extreme obese.
Conclusion: Findings suggest that longer work hours (>11 hours daily) have a major influence on odds for obesity among this population. The results align with recent NIOSH calls for integrated approaches to worker health.