Truck Drivers' Health: Alarming Figures

A study published in the journal Tobacco Prevention and Cessation shows that the health status of truck drivers is particularly poor. With a particularly high prevalence of smoking, unsafe food consumption, and a high rate of obesity, this profession is much more affected by non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and diabetes.[1].

Researchers surveyed 373 French and foreign truck drivers at six French motorway service stations, asking them to specify their sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status, and nationality), and their behaviors regarding the consumption of tobacco products, sugary or energy drinks, and sports. Based on their weight and height, the drivers' body mass index (BMI) was also calculated.

A sedentary lifestyle among truck drivers

The average age of respondents was 43.4 years. Nearly three-quarters of truck drivers reported being married (73.8%), while 70.3% of them were French nationals. In terms of individual behavior, two out of three drivers reported not practicing sports, and almost 60% of them reported consuming at least three sodas or energy drinks per day, and nearly one in four reported drinking five per day. The results also show that truck drivers are particularly affected by the risk of obesity, since 68.7% of them have a BMI classifying them as at least overweight, while 19.5% of them are considered obese and 9.4% suffer from morbid obesity.

Heavy smoking, combined with the consumption of sugary and energy drinks

The researchers also highlight the high prevalence of smoking in this profession. Indeed, of the 373 people surveyed, 191 declared themselves smokers (51.1%). This tobacco consumption also seems to go hand in hand with the intensity of consumption of sugary or energy drinks: in fact, 27.6% of people declaring not to drink this type of drink are also smokers. On the other hand, the smoking prevalence rises to 46.1% for drivers consuming between one and two of these drinks per day, to 50% for people consuming between three and four per day, and to 68.2% for drivers consuming five sodas or energy drinks per day. In comparison, according to the Public Health France Barometer, in 2020, 36.2% of men aged over 18 reported using tobacco.[2].

Truck drivers: a reduced life expectancy compared to the rest of the population

From a health perspective, these results show that the truck driving profession is prone to risks. Across the entire dataset, only 10.2% of truck drivers have a standard BMI and are also non-smokers. Other preliminary studies have shown that truck drivers have a higher risk of developing non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung cancer, particularly due to their sedentary lifestyles, or their smoking and sugary beverage consumption. In the United States, similar results have been observed, leading researchers to estimate that the life expectancy of men in this profession is considerably lower than the national average.[3].

The authors of the study conducted in France therefore call for the implementation of appropriate policies to improve the working conditions of these truck drivers and to effectively protect them against risky behavior.

FT

[1] Josseran, L., McNeill, K., Fardini, T., Sauvagnac, R., Barbot, F., Quera Salva, M., Bowser, M., and King, G. (2021). Smoking and obesity among long-haul truck drivers in France. Tobacco Prevention & Cessation, 7(October), 66. https://doi.org/10.18332/tpc/142321

[2] Public Health France, Tobacco consumption among adults in 2020: results of the Public Health France Barometer, 05/26/2021, (accessed 11/02/2021)

[3] Apostolopoulos Y, Sönmez S, Shattell MM, Belzer M. Worksite-induced morbidities among truck drivers in the United States. AAOHN J. 2010;58(7):285-296. doi:10.3928/08910162-20100625-01