Policemen and firefighters have increased risk for type-2 diabetes mellitus probably due to their large body mass index: a follow-up study in Japanese men.
BACKGROUND
Policemen/firefighters may have increased risk for mortality from ischemic heart disease and from all causes. We compare incidence of type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM), a well-known predictor for mortality, in policemen/firefighters with that in two other worker-groups.


METHODS
A follow-up study of 5,130 healthy Japanese men aged 30-49 years at baseline consisted of three worker-groups; 3,111 clerical workers, 1,122 manual/production and transport/communication workers, and 897 policemen/firefighters. Incident DM was identified by "fasting serum glucose >or=7.00 mmol/L" or/and "under medical treatment for DM." Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for incident DM was estimated by Cox's proportional hazard models using clerical workers as a reference group (HR=1.00). Baseline age, body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)), drinking, smoking, exercise, and education were computed as confounders.


RESULTS
During mean follow-up periods of 8.4 years, 155 clerical workers, 51 manual/production and transport/communication workers, and 74 policemen/firefighters had incident DM (5.9, 5.7, and 9.6 per 1,000 person-years, respectively; P=0.001 by chi(2)-test). Policemen/firefighters had significantly increased risk for incident DM against clerical workers (age-adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.65 (1.25, 2.18)), but the significance disappeared after adjustments for BMI (age- and BMI-adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.16 (0.87, 1.54)). Manual/production and transport/communication workers had no increased risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Policemen/firefighters have increased risk for DM probably due to their large BMI. Body weight control may be more efficient for prevention of DM and DM-related health problems in policemen/firefighters than in other workers.
Nagaya
Teruo
T
Department of Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
Yoshida
Hideyo
H
Takahashi
Hidekatsu
H
Kawai
Makoto
M
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D016495:Police / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose