Obesity continues to be a major health risk for Danish seafarers and fishermen.

BACKGROUND. In addition to the well-known medical consequences of overweight, severe obesity may also constitute a safety problem on board a ship in case of an emergency. The purpose of this study was to determine the current extent of the problem of overweight among Danish seafarers and fishermen and to follow-up the situation since a previous survey. The aim was to identify the main target groups and determine the need for continuous intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Data on height and weight were obtained from the mandatory health examinations of seafarers and fishermen. A total of 2,101 seafarers were included in the study. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated for each individual seafarer. Data from two other surveys were used as reference. RESULTS. A total of 1,379 (66%) of all tested subjects were overweight. Among the male officers and ratings, the relative risk of being overweight was 1.33 (1.25-1.38) and 1.30 (1.22-1.38), respectively. The relative risk for fishermen was 1.45 (1.25-1.66) and for maritime students and trainees 1.44 (1.25-1.66). The female seafarers had a relative risk of being overweight of 1.42 (1.23-1.65). There were a statistical significantly increased number of overweight merchant seafarers since 2001/2002. DISCUSSION. The study shows that Danish merchant seafarers have a major and significantly increasing overweight problem. Among fishermen, overweight was even more frequent. Overweight constitutes a threat not only to their health, but also to their career at sea. The larger than expected incidence of overweight among new employees in the industry provides particular cause for concern. The causes of the problem are complex and interventions need to be broad.

Developing policy options for SARS and SARS-like diseases - a Delphi study.

The objective of the SARSControl Delphi study was to develop options for national and international emerging infectious diseases policies. The aim of this paper is to present the results of the study, which gathered expert opinions on gaps and inconsistencies concerning preparedness and response planning for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and SARS-like diseases. The Delphi technique was employed, which comprised a pilot round, two written rounds and a face-to-face meeting. The Delphi panel consisted of 38 experts from 22 countries, who highlighted the necessity to test plans and stressed the importance of surveillance measures for the swift containment of communicable disease outbreaks and the inclusion of detailed triage plans in national pandemic plans. The experts also suggested a need to define criteria for testing pandemic preparedness plans at different regional levels. New policy alternatives were identified, such as the need for generic plans on pandemics and universal access to healthcare during an outbreak. The usefulness of some non-medical interventions, such as bans on travel, could not be established and need further research. Dissemination of the findings will help to bridge gaps and rectify inconsistencies in current pandemic planning and response strategies for SARS and SARS-like diseases, as well as add valuable knowledge towards the development of national and international emerging infectious disease policies.