Why Should You Participate in Driver Wellness Programs
According to the University of Utah School of Medicine, in which 797 long-haul truck drivers were surveyed, nearly 24% of drivers surveyed were determined to have high blood pressure that was not being treated and was not formerly diagnosed. The researchers also found that around 67% of drivers surveyed were obese.
Both of these poor health indicators are preventable and even reversible…
…So why do these percentages continue to increase?
David Cullen, the Executive Editor of Truckinginfo.com set out to write on this topic. His opening sentence describes his findings
“Building a healthy lifestyle can be hard work – especially for truck drivers, who are constantly on the go and constantly under pressure to be on the go. But the rewards that accrue when truckers live and work more healthfully are nothing to sneeze at, from being safer on the road to incurring lower medical and insurance costs to enjoying a higher quality of life for themselves and their loved ones.”
His article goes on to talk about the importance to both the driver and their company in providing wellness programs at their place of work to increase knowledge and availability.
Though the Department of Transportation requires that drivers go through a physical at the rate of at least every 2 years, as determined by the medical provider, this physical is simply not enough in motivating drivers toward a healthier lifestyle.
Understand more about why the industry is losing drivers.
In the study conducted by the Utah School of Medicine, Matthew Thiese, Ph.D notes that
“The high incidence of uncontrolled hypertension was a surprise, particularly given that truckers must undergo medical certification every two years…It’s another indication that truck drivers’ health needs are not adequately being met and could be endangering them in ways that we may not anticipate.”
At Conspire! we offer a program that is tailored to the individual needs of each driver. Our DOTFit program educates drivers, provides personal coaching, and creates an environment where healthy eating and exercise habits can fit into their busy and oftentimes sedentary lifestyle.
For more information on our DOTFit program, contact Jennifer Valverde at 719-355-1390.
