title: Obesity indices are predictive of elevated C-reactive protein in long-haul truck drivers.
abstract: Obesity rates in long-haul truck drivers have been shown to be significantly higher than the general population. We hypothesized that commercial drivers with the highest levels of general obesity and abdominal adiposity would have higher concentrations of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation.
  
  
  
  Survey and anthropometric data were collected from 262 commercial drivers. Weight, circumference measures, and blood analysis for CRP (N = 115) were conducted and compared to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. CRP values were non-normally distributed and logarithmically transformed for statistical analyses.
  
  
  
  BMI, waist circumference, sagittal abdominal diameter, and CRP were significantly higher than in the general population. Anthropometric indices that included height (BMI, waist-to-height ratio, and sagittal diameter-to-height ratio), were most predictive of CRP values.
  
  
  
  Abdominal obesity is prevalent in commercial vehicle drivers and is an important indicator of the presence of inflammation in this population. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:665-675, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, UNC Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wideman
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, UNC Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Oberlin
authors.affiliation: University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
authors.forename: Sevil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sönmez
authors.affiliation: Office of Research, Health and Human Sciences, UNC Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Labban
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
authors.forename: Michael Kenneth
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lemke
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
authors.forename: Yorghos
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Apostolopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001334:Automobile Driving; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D064346:Sagittal Abdominal Diameter; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: abdominal obesity; cardiovascular disease; commercial vehicle drivers; high sensitivity C-reactive protein; inflammation; obesity; sagittal diameter