Photo credit: Phil Whitehouse on Flickr
I liked the term “risk reversal” when I read it in an editorial piece in the current issue of Occupational Health and Safety Magazine. Jerry Laws described research that showed an 18 percent savings in health care costs for workers over 65 – of which there were more than 7 million in the US in 2012.
He listed these biggest risks – that we can “reverse”:
1) Physical inactivity
2) Low fruit/vegetable intake
3) Smoking
4) Overweight/obesity
5) High blood pressure
6) High cholesterol
7) Alcohol abuse
Reversing the risks
These risk factors may be a reality for many, but it doesn’t have to be the case. We can change direction. Our lives can be better – for work and everything else we do (or wish we had enough energy to do).
Some solutions come from Dr. Delia Roberts of Selkirk College. During the past few years, I’ve written about her research and wellness programs for tree planters, ski hill operators, truck and transport workers, and more. Most recently, I’ve been working with the Trucking Safety Council of BC, who are hosting a conference/AGM on April 5 where Delia will describe her “Power Driving” program tested on 800 truck drivers in BC and the Pacific Northwest region of the US.
“Diet and exercise can help drivers to lose weight, lower their blood pressure, and improve blood sugar levels,” reads this story “A new lease on life for drivers and equipment operators” – in TSCBC’s March 2013 newsletter.
By following healthier eating patterns and making other positive changes, these workers experienced improved performance at work and better quality of life in general. They were able to respond to an unexpected event 18 percent faster and more accurately when they followed healthier eating patterns. The difference was as much as three-quarters of a second, or 44 feet when travelling 55 kilometres per hour.
I’m looking forward to meeting Delia in real life at the TSCBC conference after writing about so many of her projects and communicating mainly via email. Stay tuned for an update.
