Effects of a Combined Diet and Exercise Intervention on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Volunteer Firefighters
Description: Statistics from the AHA state that 92% of adults meet at least 1 CVD risk factor. Increased risk of CVD is a problem in populations like firefighters who have an inherent risk of death due to their job. Last year the National Fire Protection Agency estimated there are 1.3 million firefighters and 70% are volunteer. The proposed project will assess cardiovascular risk in volunteer firefighters which are an understudied group. Evidence suggests that firefighters are more obese and inactive than non-firefighters. Recently, it was estimated that 75% of firefighters have elevated or uncontrolled BP. Firefighting is one of the most hazardous and dangerous jobs, and there is an association between work stress, inflammation, and BP. Interventions cannot reduce the emotional stress and heavy physical work of the job. But, our hypothesis is that exercise and diet could improve health and reduce BP alarm levels, and therefore lower CVD risk. When a 911 dispatch occurs, the pager alarm sound causes a sudden nervous system activation. We have found that the BP surge with alarm in firefighters can be extreme. Furthermore, years of service as a firefighter may relate to the amount of time to return to pre-alarm BP levels. Recently data from our lab shows that firefighters with >10yr experience have a longer BP return time and tend to have higher lipid levels and worse cardiovascular profile. The proposed study is novel because it will examine changes in the BP surge levels with 6-wk of exercise training and Mediterranean diet. Measuring the magnitude of this surge, and examining relationships with CVD risk is innovative. BP surge has never been correlated to CV health. Comparing 3 groups: firefighters with >10yr, with <10yr experience, and non-firefighter controls. The Specific Aims include: determine whether exercise and diet (1)have effect on reducing the magnitude of BP surge that occurs with alarm. (2)examine relationships between the magnitude of BP surge and vascular health markers. And (3)compare this data between groups. All participants will wear ambulatory blood pressure cuffs for a 12hr period, BP surge with alarm will be measured. The level of surge, time for BP to return to pre-alarm level, and changes in these values will be assessed between groups in response to the exercise and diet intervention. Relationships between BP surge levels and vascular health markers, in particular vascular stiffness, inflammation, and oxidative stress will be examined.
Funder: American Heart Association
Amount: $153,900
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award
Start date: 2019-01-01
End date: 2021-08-31
Investigators: Deborah Feairheller, Deborah Feairheller
Institution: University of New Hampshire
Funded outputs count: 6
Funder award ID: 19AIREA34450151
OpenAlex ID: G4618858771