Study of Aerobic Capacity and its Relationship with Lifestyle among Iranian Firefighters in an Industrial Complex

Background: Few quantitative studies in our country have been conducted to investigate the status of cardiovascular fitness in firefighters. The objective of this study was evaluation of aerobic capacity and its relation with the lifestyle of firefighters. Methods:  This study was conducted in 2014 and 165 male firefighters participated in the study. Information such as demographic data as well as medical and occupational records was collected through direct interview. The subjects’ lifestyle was assessed in three areas of physical activity, smoking and Body Mass Index (BMI) status. To assess the aerobic capacity of the participants and to perform the submaximal aerobic fitness test, the ACSM (the American College of Sports Medicine) was used. Using the Persian version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the level of physical activity of the individuals was assessed by direct interview. Analyses were performed using SPSS 22.0 and a P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean aerobic capacity of the participants was observed to be 34.47 VO2max ml.kg-1.min-1. In terms of physical activity, the mean amount of energy consumed for work-related physical activity was 2534.00 MET-minutes/week. The results of the linear regression analysis showed a significant relationship between physical activity, smoking, BMI and the aerobic capacity (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that maximum physical activity is related to aerobic capacity. Reducing the risk of acute ischemic events in firefighters and increasing maximum aerobic capacity needs focus on the physical activity and life style of firefighters.