COVID-19's Impact on Physical Activity and Metabolic Syndrome in Firefighters: A Randomized Trial of Pre- and Post-recovery Analysis.

Abstract

Despite the physical demands of their job, firefighters often experience declining health, a trend that has worsened with coronavirus infection. We investigated the correlation between physical activity (PA) and metabolic syndrome (MS) risk factors in male firefighters following COVID-19 recovery. Pre- and post-COVID-19 MS risk factors were analyzed in 31 male firefighters. Pearson correlation was used to determine the relationship between PA and MS risk factors following recovery. Postrecovery PA showed a moderate negative correlation with low-density lipoprotein ( r = -0.39, P = 0.04). Statistically significant reductions were observed in weight, body mass index, cholesterol, and waist-hip ratio (all P < 0.05). In contrast, glucose, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein showed statistically nonsignificant increases. Clinicians should monitor cardiovascular risks in firefighters, as subtle changes postrecovery may indicate increased heart disease risk.