Commercial Driver Medical Examinations: Prevalence of Obesity, Comorbidities, and Certification Outcomes.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess relationships between body mass index (BMI) and comorbid conditions within a large sample of truck drivers. Commercial driver medical examination data from 88,246 commercial drivers between 2005 and 2012 were analyzed for associations between BMI, medical disorders, and driver certification. Most drivers were obese (53.3%, BMI >30.0 kg/m) and morbidly obese (26.6%, BMI >35.0 kg/m), higher than prior reports. Obese drivers were less likely to be certified for 2 years and more likely to report heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, nervous disorders, sleep disorders, and chronic low back pain (all P < 0.0001). There are relationships between multiple potentially disqualifying conditions and increasing obesity (P < 0.0001). Morbid obesity prevalence increased 8.9% and prevalence of three or more multiple conditions increased fourfold between 2005 and 2012. Obesity is related to multiple medical factors as well as increasing numbers of conditions that limit driving certification.