청주지역 시내버스 운전자의 비만도에 따른 식습관과 건강위험도

Dietary Habits and Health Risks by Obesity Level among City Bus Drivers in Cheongju

This study aims to investigate the obesity status, dietary habits, and health risks among city bus drivers in Cheongju. A questionnaire survey and anthropometric measurements were conducted on 159 drivers from November 23 to 28, 2017. The Diet-related Health Risk Appraisal (D-HRA) developed by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute was used to investigate the risks of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. The average body mass index (BMI) was 25.8 kg/m2, and the average body fat percentage was 24.9%. The participants were classified into three groups based on BMI: normal weight group (18.5-22.9 ㎏/㎡, 19.5%), overweight group (23-24.9 ㎏/㎡, 20.2%), and obese group (≥25 ㎏/㎡, 60.3%). There were statistically significant differences in smoking rates (P < 0.01) and perceived health status (P < 0.01), but there were no differences in dietary habits or consumption frequencies of food groups among the three groups. The smoking rate of the normal weight group was 58.1%, which was higher than those of the overweight group (34.4%) and the obese group (35.4%). The percentage of the normal weight group who subjectively assessed their health to be “good” was 41.9%, whereas the percentages were only 12.5% and 15.6% in the overweight group and obese group, respectively. The “high” risks of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, as assessed by the D-HRA, were 88.5%, 77.1%, and 81.3%, respectively, in the obese group, which were significantly higher than those measured in the other two groups (P < 0.001). Our results showed that more than half of the bus drivers participating in this study were obese, and obese drivers had higher risks of chronic diseases. Therefore, in order to prevent chronic diseases among city bus drivers, it is necessary to assess both the risks of chronic diseases using the D-HRA in advance and to provide proper dietary practice information and effective nutrition management services, including nutrition education and counseling, to city bus drivers.