Relationship between Body Weight and Pulmonary Function in Pilots from a Airlines: The Comparison of Data from 1996 with 2002

BACKGROUND: Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and other disorders. Several studies have shown that excess weight or weight gain was related to the decline of pulmonary function. This study is to find out whether pilot's age, height, body weight, body mass index(BMI) and smoking are related to the baseline measurement of pulmonary function in order to promote the healthy behavior of pilots. METHOD: The analysis was based on data from the annual physical examination of pilots which was conducted in one airlines company of Korea. This study compared the data obtained from 73 pilots in 1996 with the data in 2002. Pulmonary function(forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and maximal mid expiratory flow (MMEF), peak expiratory flow (PEF)), age, height, body weight and body mass index were measured in both surveys. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to examine the relationship weight gain, smoking and pulmonary function. RESULTS: According to the data from 2002, mean age, mean height, mean body weight and mean BMI of pilots were examined: 47.62 years, 171.60 cm, 70.6 Kg and 24.03 Kg/m(2). Age was significantly related to FVC, FEV1 and MMEF. Height was significantly related to FVC and FEV1. However, body weight was significantly related to PEF and MMEF. The effect of smoking on pulmonary function was not significant. Pilots who gained body weight and BMI after 7 years were not related significantly to the pulmonary function. CONCLUSION: This study shows that age, height, weight are significantly related to pulmonary function. And other studies show that weight gain is significantly related to the decline of pulmonary function, but the relationship from this study is not significant because the number of sample is not enough and healthy behaviors of most pilots are relatively well.

The Health Promotion Behavior of Pilot and Ground Staff in A-Airlines

BACKGROUND: At present, there is close correlation between health status and lifestyle. Personal lifestyle has influence on health, disease, disorder and early death. Health promotion elements are nutrition, exercise, body weight, alcohol drinking, smoking, stress and so forth. These elements are important on physical and psychosocial well being. A good physical and psychosocial status can increase a personal ability of psychosocial activities. This study surveyed to assess healthy behaviors and to encourage pursuing more health promotion. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 91 pilots and 90 ground staffs in A-Airlines and the period of survey was from march, 2002 to June, 2002. This survey used Wilson's Fantastic Lifestyle Assessment and this assessment was designed to assess healthy behaviors. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire including 12 items (.relationship of family and friends, activity, nutrition, smoking, toxin, alcohol drinking, sleep, seatbelt, stress, personality, insight, career satisfaction). These data were analyzed statistically by t-test. RESULTS: Mean score of this assessment is 39.16 in pilot, 31.99 in ground staff. Pilot had better healthy behaviors than ground staff in the aspect of all 12 items. Especially, Pilot had better healthy behaviors than ground staff in the aspect of relationship of family and friends, activity, nutrition, smoking, alcohol drinking (drunken amount), sleep, stress, personality, insight, career satisfaction. There were statistically significance (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In comparing pilot and ground staff were significant difference except drug, seatbelt, frequency of drinking, which means that pilot had better healthy behaviors than ground staff. The result suggests that medical services supply pilots with more thorough and frequently periodic health education. In the future, the role of medical team needs to give a continuous health education of pilots and also, ground staff.

Relationship between Low Back Pain and Physical Characteristics in Flight Attendants

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is known to be the significant reason for absenteeism and can develop long-term disability. So the airline authorities have made an effort to reduce the incidence of LBP by applying their physical standards. As a LBP Prevention Program, Airline A has provided health education, counseling and physical examinations. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between LBP and physical characteristics, age and work duration, and this result will provide basic information for improving the LBP Prevention Program. METHOD: The subjects were the 585 flight attendants who had undergone regular physical check-ups with Airline A Medical Center from October 2000 to September 2001. We reviewed their absence records and physical characteristics, age and work duration. These data were analyzed statistically by the t-test and Lositic regression. RESULT: The LBP history group accounted for 18% of the study group. The male LBP history group had the more thin waist than the no history group. There were no differences (P<0.05) between LBP and other male and female physical characteristics. The age and work duration of male LBP history group was lower than the no history group (P<0.05). But the female comparison revealed that only the work experience in the LBP history group was lower than the No history group (P<0.05). Waist, age, work duration was analyzed statistically by logistic regression. Only female's work experience was significant. The fewer work experience was the more LBP. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest LBP is associated with work experience rather than physical characteristics. This is the first step toward improving a LBP Prevention Program for the cabin crew. It will be useful to conduct another review to assess various other reasons, such as psychosocial job factors, duration of work disability and muscle strength, related to LBP.