title: Body mass index as a predictor of firefighter injury and workers' compensation claims.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between lifestyle variables including body mass index and filing a workers' compensation claim due to firefighter injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional evaluation of firefighter injury related to workers" compensation claims occurring 5 years after the original Promoting Healthy Lifestyles: Alternative Models' Effects study intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A logistic regression analysis for variables predicting filing a workers' compensation claim due to an injury was performed with a total of 433 participants. The odds of filing a compensation claim were almost 3 times higher for firefighters with a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m than firefighters with a normal body mass index (odds ratio, 2.89; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study addresses a high-priority area of reducing firefighter injuries and workers' compensation claims. Maintaining a healthy body weight is important to reduce injury and workers' compensation claims among firefighters.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Promotion and Sports Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. kuehlk@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Kerry S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kuehl
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kisbu-Sakarya
authors.forename: Diane L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Elliot
authors.forename: Esther L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Moe
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Defrancesco
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
authors.forename: Ginger
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lockhart
authors.forename: Linn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Hannah E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Kuehl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009922:Oregon / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology; D014942:Workers' Compensation; D055815:Young Adult