PHLAME Longterm Effects - Results of Seven Years of Followup (Preliminary report of findings that were presented at the 2009 Society for Prevention Research national meeting)
2009
condition. All firefighters at a station were in the same study condition (the TEAM program, motivational interviewing [MI, a type on one‐on‐one coaching] or testing only). Both the TEAM and MI groups achieved significantly improved changes in eating and exercise habits and body weight, and the PHLAME project was continued to evaluate maintenance of healthier behaviors. In this report, we present outcomes from the baseline, two intervention years and four additional follow‐up only years. The details the short term findings of the TEAM and health coaching group (MI) previously have been reported (J Occup Environ Med 2007;49:204‐213) and is available on PHLAME website (www.ohsu.edu/ohsuedu/academic/som/medicine/hpsm/upload/JOEM.pdf). METHODS The original study participants were 599 firefighters from 5 fire departments in northern Oregon and southern Washington. The original firefighter cohort (fall of 2000) was predominately male, white (90.5%) and married (79%), with a mean age of 40.7 years. On average, participants had 15.4 years experience as a firefighter. Initial enrollment was high at 86% of eligible firefighters, of whom 80% were retained at one year. Between the intervention and longitudinal follow‐up phase, because of administrative changes, one of the original five departments elected not to participate. Thus, four departments are represented in the four year follow‐up only data. In those follow‐up only years, participants received only annual assessments and a written health risk appraisal. As with the control condition in the initial years, firefighters were mailed their results, similar to what might occur following a physician visit. Firefighters also had access to a common website that provided additional information about each result, optimum values and normative findings for firefighters. The last year of data collection was completed in January 2008. Measures Anthropometric measures were assessed at baseline and each subsequent measurement wave: height, weight, and calculated body mass index (BMI) (weight in kg/[height in meters]2). Aerobic capacity was assessed with measured maximal oxygen uptake during incremental treadmill exercise to maximal exertion during the baseline, two intervention years and final follow‐up year. During other time, maximal oxygen uptake was estimated from submaximal incremental treadmill testing using the individuals’ heart rate, workload and perceived exertion relationships from their prior testing. At each assessment, firefighters also completed a survey assessing demographics and self‐reported physical activity, self‐ reported dietary behaviors and other potentially influential factors. Dietary habits were indexed using a validated screening instrument for daily servings of fruits and vegetables. RESULTS Firefighters were comparable to U.S. adults in their body weights. The average BMI for the entire sample at baseline was 27.7, slightly higher than the national average of 26.6. At baseline, participants’ average consumption of fruits and vegetables was 5.6 servings a day, and less than one‐third (28%) consumed the recommended 5 servings a day, compared to the national average of 23% for adult males.
- Correction
- Cite
- Save
- Machine Reading By IdeaReader
0
References
0
Citations
NaN
KQI