Cardiac strain comparison between workers with normal weight and overweight in the hot humid weather of the Persian Gulf region
نویسندگان
1 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tarbiat Modares
2 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I. R. Iran
3 Environment Research Center, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan
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doi
چکیده
Background: In the hot weather, overweight and obesity are considered as significant riskfactors for the incidence of cardiac strain in workers. This study is aimed at comparing thecardiac strain among overweight and normal‑weighted workers, in the hot, humid conditionsof the south of Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross‑sectional study was conductedon 71 workers in the south of Iran, in the summer of 2010.The heart rate was measured atrest and at actual work. Cardiac strain based on the working heart rate (WHR), the relativecardiac cost (RCC), the net cardiac cost (NCC), the load relative cardiovascular (CVL), andheart rate reduction were analyzed in 35 normal weight people (BMI <25) and 36 people whowere overweight (BMI >25), using descriptive statistics and t‑ tests. Results: In 42% of thetotal workers, the body mass index was more than 25. The average temperature of the twogroups was not significantly different. The mean WHR in these two groups was 101 ± 20.3and 112 ± 18.9, respectively (P = 0.026). Percentages that exceeded the acceptable limitsin parameters of NCC, RCC, WHR, CVL, and the Brouha index, were significantly higher inoverweight people than those in people with normal weight. Conclusions: Based on the studyresults, the severity of cardiac strain was higher in overweight workers when compared withnormal weight workers. Hence, in order to decrease the cardiac strain, selecting overweightindividuals for these jobs should be avoided, as also some vital intervention for losing weight,such as, nutrition education and encouraging them to increase their physical activity, shouldbe implemented.
