A 7-Month Multidisciplinary Healthy Lifestyle Intervention Effectively Improved Cardiometabolic Risk Profile of Firefighters.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of a 7-month healthy lifestyle intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) among male career military firefighters (FFs). METHODS: Forty-nine FFs participated in a 7-month workplace multiddisciplinary healthy lifestyle intervention designed to reduce CMRF through exercise, diet, and improved sleep. Medical assessments, accelerometry, and surveys at the beginning and end determined program effectiveness. RESULTS: At the end of the intervention period, there was a significant improvement in measures of body composition and blood glucose. The prevalence of hypertension also decreased significantly ( P < 0.01). The 57% of participants who fully adhered to the program had significantly greater improvements across multiple CMRF. Participants increased their physical activity and improved their diet following the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: This healthy lifestyle intervention was effective in changing behavior and lowering cardiometabolic risk among FFs.