title: Investigating obesity among professional drivers: the high risk professional driver study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to detect the main individual and transportation factors associated with obesity and its prevalence among Italian professional drivers (PDs).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Data from PDs (n = 497) were used for analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-one percent of participants were either overweight or obese according to their body mass index. Predictive factors for obesity were traveling more than 40,000 miles per year (odds ratio [OR] 4.20, confidence interval [CI] 1.41-12.56) and hours spent behind the wheel per day (OR 1.27, CI 1.02-1.58). Bus drivers had half the risk of being obese compared to truck drivers (OR 0.45, CI 0.23-0.87). An inverse association was detected between educational attainment and obesity (OR 0.32, CI 0.11-0.90).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PDs with high number of driving hours per day, miles driven per year, and low educational level should be subject to special educational programs to reduce and prevent obesity.
authors.affiliation: S.C. Emergenza Urgenza 118, A.S.L. CN1, Cuneo, Italy; Divisione Medicina del Lavoro, Servizi Medici s.r.l., Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Luca
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perotto
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feola
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caramella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014186:Transportation; D014195:Travel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: driver health; obesity; professional drivers; risk factors