Conclusions: Male firefighters, on average, had a greater WC, WHR, and were superior in grip strength and the leg press. Female firefighters, on average, had greater BF% and a better sit-and-reach. There were no significant between-sex differences in crunches, push-ups, and estimated V̇O2max. Significant relationships between body composition and fitness were documented; however, the strength of the correlations suggested there was variance that could not be explained by fitness alone. Relative to normative data, most firefighters participating in the health and wellness program exhibited better fitness relative to the general population, which could be considered a positive outcome that provided support for health and wellness programs in fire departments. Notably, however, was that while the majority of firefighters appeared to be physically fit, there was a high percentage of the sample that were at an increased risk of CVD relative to their BMI, WC, and WHR. These results highlight the importance of reducing CVD risk in firefighters, especially through enhanced body composition (i.e., reduction of BMI, WC, and WHR). This could be serviced via a multifaceted intervention approach within a health and wellness program (e.g., health and fitness testing, strength and conditioning/exercise programs, dietary interventions, etc.).
File Type:
www
Categories:
Health & Wellness
