Effects of Combined Diet & Exercise Intervention on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Firefighters & Civilians

Recent statistics from the American Heart Association (AHA) have reported that >92% of adults in the U.S. meet at least 1 metric for cardiovascular disease risk factors. In firefighters, this increased risk is especially concerning. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) estimates there are around 1.3 million firefighters in the United States, 70% of which are volunteer. The prevalence of impaired cardiovascular health is higher in firefighters than in the general population and the leading line-of-duty death (LODD) cause is cardiac related. It is known that exercise and diet mitigate cardiovascular disease risk. Meeting the physical activity guidelines remains a target of ideal cardiovascular health and a major public health concern. However, the NFPA does not require volunteer fire companies to have a fitness program for their crew, and sadly less than a third of the stations actually do. And importantly, cardiovascular-related LODD remains a major issue in the firefighter population. The results could guide clinical treatment for firefighters and may therefore reduce cardiac-related LODD.