Australia, Transport News

Truck driving one of world’s unhealthiest professions

Truckies have four times more medical conditions than the average person. Health outcomes must improve for those involved in the vital sector

Trucks transport over $220 billion worth of commodities around Australia every year. Trucks and truck drivers are the lifeblood of the country that, without which, everything stops.

However, despite keeping the nation healthy, truck drivers have some of the highest rates of chronic diseases, obesity and occupational injuries of any profession in the world.

Almost a third of truckies have three or more diagnosed medical conditions, a rate of four times greater than the average person, with one in five drivers under 35 reporting severe levels of psychological distress according to research conducted with 2000 drivers across 19 studies.

New research from the University of South Australia (UniSA) has found current approaches to improving drivers’ health are not working, and the only ones showing promise are programs that promote physical activity or healthier eating.

UniSA’s Dr Rosa Virgara says any further attempts at improving health outcomes for Australia’s drivers must come in tandem with the drivers themselves.

“Truck drivers are the beating heart of Australia’s economy,” Virgara says. “They drive thousands of kilometres every day to ensure the safe delivery of everything we use in daily life, but when it comes to their own health and wellbeing there’s a lot lacking.

“Whether it’s long hours, shift work, poor diet or inactivity, the health risks associated with the truck driver occupation are significant and varied.

“As a result, truck drivers have some of the highest rates of poor physical activity and other chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, high BMI/obesity, depression, and back pain which impacts their ability to lead healthy lives.

“Ultimately, the drivers know their needs best, and any future research should work with the transport sector, consulting with trucking companies, communities, government agencies and the drivers themselves to help improve the lives of those working in such a valuable profession.”

The research results, while indicating it is crucial to improve truck drivers’ health to improve their quality of life, also found those drivers who were at higher risk of health problems also had a higher risk of incidents on the road.

“There are wider safety implications associated with truck driver health, as evidence demonstrates that drivers with multiple health issues have higher rates of accidents,” Virgara says.

“Given the importance of the industry it’s vital that we prioritise the development of practical and scalable healthy lifestyle interventions that can support health and wellbeing of truck drivers.

“Strategies such as providing balanced and healthy subsidised lunches to truck drivers, as well as creating and upkeeping places for exercise during a rest break could be a starting point in integrating health integrations into their working lives.”

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