OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, psychological distress and associations between physical and mental health parameters within a cohort of the Australian farming community. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTING: Farming communities across Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Data of men (n = 957) and women (n = 835) farmers from 97 locations across Australia were stratified into categories based on National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Prevalence of and interrelationship between overweight, obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes risk and psychological distress. RESULTS: There was a higher prevalence of overweight (42.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI), 34.2-50.8), obesity (21.8%, 95% CI, 18.3-25.3), abdominal adiposity (38.4% 95% CI, 24.5-52.5), hypertension (54.0%, 95% CI, 34.4-73.5) and diabetes risk (25.3%, 95% CI, 17.7-36.7) in the farming cohort compared with national data. There was also a positive significant association between the prevalence of psychological distress and obesity, abdominal adiposity, body fat percentage and metabolic syndrome in older (age ≥ 50 years) participants. CONCLUSIONS: This study group of farming men and women exhibited an increased prevalence of CVD risk factors and co-morbidities. The findings indicate a positive association between psychological distress and risk for developing CVD, particularly in the older farmers. If the younger cohort were to maintain elevated rates of psychological distress, then it is foreseeable that the next generation of farmers could experience poorer physical health than their predecessors.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, psychological distress and associations between physical and mental health parameters within a cohort of the Australian farming community. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTING: Farming communities across Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Data of men (n = 957) and women (n = 835) farmers from 97 locations across Australia were stratified into categories based on National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Prevalence of and interrelationship between overweight, obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes risk and psychological distress. RESULTS: There was a higher prevalence of overweight (42.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI), 34.2-50.8), obesity (21.8%, 95% CI, 18.3-25.3), abdominal adiposity (38.4% 95% CI, 24.5-52.5), hypertension (54.0%, 95% CI, 34.4-73.5) and diabetes risk (25.3%, 95% CI, 17.7-36.7) in the farming cohort compared with national data. There was also a positive significant association between the prevalence of psychological distress and obesity, abdominal adiposity, body fat percentage and metabolic syndrome in older (age ≥ 50 years) participants. CONCLUSIONS: This study group of farming men and women exhibited an increased prevalence of CVD risk factors and co-morbidities. The findings indicate a positive association between psychological distress and risk for developing CVD, particularly in the older farmers. If the younger cohort were to maintain elevated rates of psychological distress, then it is foreseeable that the next generation of farmers could experience poorer physical health than their predecessors.
Authors: Nathan King; William Pickett; Louise Hagel; Joshua Lawson; Catherine Trask; James A Dosman Journal: Can Respir J Date: 2014-10-09 Impact factor: 2.409
Authors: Catherine M Spagnuolo; Michael McIsaac; James Dosman; Chandima Karunanayake; Punam Pahwa; William Pickett Journal: Can Respir J Date: 2019-01-14 Impact factor: 2.409
Authors: Andria Jones-Bitton; Briana Hagen; Stephen J Fleming; Sandra Hoy Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-12-12 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Nurhayati Adnan Prihartono; Laila Fitria; Doni Hikmat Ramdhan; Fitriyani Fitriyani; Sifa Fauzia; Susan Woskie Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-20 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Konstantinos Demos; Eleni Sazakli; Eleni Jelastopulu; Nikolaos Charokopos; John Ellul; Michalis Leotsinidis Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2013-02-26 Impact factor: 3.390