The Metabolic Syndrome and its Association with Over Time Driving in Iranian Professional Bus Drivers

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MeS) in professional bus drivers, and its association with overtime working hours among those drivers in Urmia, Iran. In this cross sectional study the studies population was 626 professional bus drivers, aged 20-69 yr. The MeS (according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III), Waist circumference, Systolic blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure, Fasting plasma glucose, Triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, age, and working time per week. The overall prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 32.4%. The prevalence of the MeS was higher than the general Iranian population. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between over time driving and MeS (P: 0.028). This represents an odds ratio of 1.46 (95%CI: 1.04 – 2.05). The metabolic syndrome is becoming a noteworthy health problem in bus drivers; therefore, early detection and appropriate intervention need to be established.