Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/616524
Health Help By Bill Gordon, 20 // OWNER OPERATOR // JANUARY 2016 THE IMPACT OF OBESITY IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY courtesy of the Healthy Trucking Association of America Bill Gordon is the founder of the Healthy Trucking Association of America and the Healthy Trucking Foundation. As a former hospital administrator, active in state and national healthcare organizations, his dedication to health ad wellness has been a lifetime commitment. T he prevalence of obesity in the trucking industry is a serious issue which deserves a greater level of awareness through education and communication, among drivers, fleet owners and the medical providers who administer the bi-annual CDL (Commercial Driver's License) physical examinations. Studies have shown and it is generally accepted within the industry that of 3.5 million truckers, approximately 69% (two-thirds) or 2.4 million drivers, are obese. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. Normal BMI ranges from 18.5- 24.9. A person is considered obese with a BMI of greater than 30 and morbidly obese if he or she has a BMI of 40 or more and experiences obesity-related health conditions, or co-morbidities. The common co-morbidities of obesity include sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, joint and back pain, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the federal agency under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. A NIOSH study done in 2010 found that there is a 17% incidence of morbid obesity within the population of long haul truckers. With the knowledge of these alarming sta- tistics, obesity has become a major focus of the Healthy Trucking Association of America (HTAA) in its mission to height- en awareness and promote development of programs to improve the over-all health and wellness of the trucking industry. Founded in 1997, HTAA has continuously devoted its efforts to this cause, realizing the urgent need within the transportation industry for an organization dedicated to improving professional driver health. In late 2014, we founded a 501 (c)(3) organi- zation, the Healthy Transportation Founda on (HTF), to generate funds to support our initiatives and to assist in the implementa- tion of those programs. Obesity is present- ly one of the priority disease conditions of both HTAA and HTF.