title: Cardiovascular fitness levels among American workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore cardiovascular fitness in 40 occupations using a nationally representative sample of the US population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respondents aged 18 to 49 years (N = 3354) from the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were evaluated for cardiovascular fitness and classified into low, moderate, and high levels. Comparisons were made among occupations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all the US workers, 16% had low, 36% moderate, and 48% high cardiovascular fitness. Administrators, health occupations, wait staff, personal services, and agricultural occupations had a lesser percentage of workers with low cardiovascular fitness compared with all others. Sales workers, administrative support, and food preparers had a higher percentage of workers with low cardiovascular fitness compared with all others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiovascular fitness varies significantly across occupations, and those with limited physical activity have higher percentages of low cardiovascular fitness. Workplace strategies are needed to promote cardiovascular fitness among high-risk occupations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. jelewis@miami.edu
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: Lora E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Alberto J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cabán-Martinez
authors.forename: Kristopher L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Arheart
authors.forename: Stacey L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tannenbaum
authors.forename: Manuel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ocasio
authors.forename: Evelyn P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Davila
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kachan
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McCollister
authors.forename: Noella
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Bandiera
authors.forename: Tainya C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult