Poor weight control, alcoholic beverage consumption and sudden sleep onset at the wheel among Italian truck drivers: A preliminary pilot study

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of obesity, alcoholic beverage consumption, unhealthy alcohol use and sudden sleep onset at the wheel among Italian truck drivers. In addition to prevalence rates, this study also aimed at investigating potential predictors for sudden-onset sleepiness and obesity. Material and Methods: A sample of truck drivers was extracted from the database of the High Risk Professional Driver Study. Data concerning demographics, anthropometry, medical information and working conditions were collected using anonymous questionnaires. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association of the reported body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption and sudden sleep onset with working conditions and general lifestyle factors. Results: Three hundred and thirty-five questionnaires were collected. According to their BMI, 45% of the participants were overweight and 21.4% of them were obese. Twenty-four point two percent declared they drank alcoholic beverages during working hours or work breaks and 21.3% of the drivers had an Alcohol Use Disorders Identyfication Test Consumption (AUDIT C) score ≥ 5 (the threshold value for unhealthy alcohol use). Forty-one point six percent of the interviewees experienced one episode of sudden sleep onset at the wheel per month (5.5% per week and 0.9% daily). Predictive factors for obesity were: length of service (odds ratio (OR) = 1.09, confidence interval (95% CI): 1.04-1.15, p < 0.001) and the AUDIT C total score (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.08-1.66, p = 0.008). Predictive factors for sudden-onset sleepiness at the wheel were: age > 55 years old (OR = 5.22, 95% CI: 1.29-21.1, p = 0.020), driving more than 50 000 km per year (OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.37-6.11, p = 0.006) and the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ) score > 11 (adjusted OR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.22-7.21, p = 0.016). Conclusions: This study strongly emphasizes the need for intervention in order to reduce and prevent important risk factors for the sake of road safety and truck drivers' health.

Food choice patterns of long-haul truck drivers driving through Germany, a cross sectional study

“…This survey confirmed the results of other studies regarding an above average BMI in the truck driver population [7,22] and a high prevalence of bad health conditions such as back pain or other [9,23]. European truck drivers driving through Germany appear to be affected by their difficult working conditions in similar ways than drivers in other European countries, the U.S., or Australia [9,17,[23][24][25]. Interestingly, overweight and obese truck drivers did not seem to differ significantly in their food choice patterns which was also found by Whitfield Jacobson and colleagues [14] among U.S. truck drivers.…”

“…Parking regulations and vehicle size often prevent drivers from going grocery shopping while "on tour" and only a few truck drivers seem to try to incorporate physical activity while "on tour" [16]. Interestingly, very little is known about eating behaviour patterns in relation to the working conditions of European truck drivers driving through Europe [17].…”

Alcohol Consumption, Smoking, Job Stress and Road Safety in Professional Drivers

“…smoking intensity has demonstrated to be predicted by occupational stress) [67], contributing to show different adverse health symptoms [68,69] and negative occupational outcomes in the mid and long term, both in professional drivers as in a very long list of other groups of workers [70]. On the other hand, alcohol consumption has been largely related to several health complains [71,72] and directly linked to the increasing of incidentallity and accidentality rates in the field of professional driving [73,74]. In this sense, it is striking that approximately one in five Colombian professional drivers currently has the habit of smoking (20.3%) and one in four (27.9%) of them regularly consume alcohol.…”

Sleep and Mental Health in Truck Drivers: Descriptive Review of the Current Evidence and Proposal of Strategies for Primary Prevention

“…An updated search in the scientific literature found only eight papers published to date (April 2018) that addressed both sleep habits and mental health at the same time. Three reported on Italian, two on North American, two on Brazilian, and one on Australian truckers, for a total sample size of 87,261 male and 3887 female drivers [ 8 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 ]. Some comparison across studies is nevertheless possible with a descriptive review.…”