title: Cardiorespiratory fitness in a representative sample of Belgian firefighters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An important aspect of occupational health surveillance of firefighters is cardiorespiratory fitness. In Belgium, representative data on firefighters' cardiorespiratory fitness assessed in a standardized way are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report data on cardiorespiratory fitness, body mass index (BMI) and total body fat percentage in a large cohort of Belgian firefighters; to relate the data on cardiorespiratory fitness to the new Belgian criteria and to explore the relationship of cardiorespiratory fitness with age, BMI and total body fat.
  
  
  METHODS
  VO2-max was assessed in male firefighters by maximal exercise test on a treadmill. Total body fat percentage was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Stratified analyses of mean VO2-max and proportions of subjects that did not meet the criteria were performed for different age, total body fat percentage and BMI categories. Relationships between VO2-max and the continuous variables were explored in univariate (correlation coefficients) and multivariate analyses (multiple linear regression analysis).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 1225 participating firefighters (96% participation rate), mean VO2-max was 46.5 ml/kg/min. Percentages of subjects that did not meet the criteria ranged from 1 to 83% depending on age, BMI and total body fat percentage. Both in univariate and multivariate analyses, strongly significant relationships were found between VO2-max and age, BMI and total body fat percentage, the latter being the strongest predictor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study provided representative data on cardiorespiratory fitness, BMI and total body fat percentage for Belgian firefighters. The findings suggest the need for a structural approach on healthy eating and regular physical exercise in firefighters.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Service Securex, B-9031 Drongen, Belgium, Department of Public Health, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium, philippe.kiss@securex.be.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Service Securex, B-9031 Drongen, Belgium, Department of Public Health, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Meester
authors.affiliation: Medical Center for Sports, Business and Related Research Mensana, B-8340 Sijsele-Damme, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Service Securex, B-9031 Drongen, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Vriese
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Service Securex, B-9031 Drongen, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Braeckman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Age; VO2-max.; body mass index; cardiorespiratory fitness; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; firefighters; total body fat