Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes in a Working Population With Sedentary Occupations

Objective: To assess the prevalence of risk factors and risk for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes in employees with sedentary occupations enrolled in a workplace health-promotion program. Methods: Participants (n = 762) were recruited from ten Melbourne workplaces, participating in a physical activity program. Demographic, behavioral, biomedical, and physical measurements were collected. Results: The majority of employees were not meeting recommended guidelines for physical activity (62%), fruit intake (70%), vegetable intake (86%), body mass index (58%), or waist circumference (53%). Most had intermediate (53%) or high (7%) risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: The majority of Australian adults in sedentary occupations were not meeting guidelines for a number of chronic disease risk factors and a substantial proportion were unaware of their increased risk. This study supports the potential of chronic disease risk factor detection and intervention programs in the workplace.

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