Safety Recruitment Australia

“We’ve found that 66 per cent of workers tested have a medium to high risk for type 2 diabetes and nearly 18 per cent have a medium to high risk for cardiovascular disease.

“The results also show that the majority of participating workers don’t eat enough fruit or vegetables or do enough exercise, and more than a third are drinking alcohol at risky levels.  These are the types of habits that put them in the higher risk categories for chronic disease.

“We are asking Victorian workers to think about what more they could be doing to protect their health. WorkHealth checks are a great starting place because this will tell you how healthy you are, and what areas of your lifestyle you might need to work on.”

Mr McLean said there are simple preventative health measures Victorian workers can incorporate into their daily working lives that can reduce their risk of chronic disease – and support provided through the WorkHealth checks can help people get started with healthier habits.

“We all lead busy lives. Many people see work as an obstacle to staying healthy, but we’re saying it should be an opportunity. Simply taking the stairs instead of the lift, going for a walk at lunchtime, or keeping fresh fruit and vegetables on hand for snacks can really make a difference.”

Other findings from the Monash University report included:

► A total of 3,218 workers (1.1 per cent) were advised to visit their GP urgently within 24 hours due to having extreme risk factors,
► Nearly a quarter (23.3 per cent) of workers had a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes,
► Men were more than three times more likely than women to have an intermediate or high risk of cardiovascular disease (27.8 per cent compared with 8.0 per cent),
► One in four Victorian workers had high cholesterol,
► Nearly half the workers tested (48.4 per cent) had a waist measurement which put them at an increased or greatly increased risk of cardiovascular disease,
► Nearly one quarter of workers (24.4 per cent) had elevated blood pressure, and this was twice as common in men than women,
► 92.9 per cent reported eating less than the daily recommended intake of fruit and vegetables,
► 70.0 per cent reported inadequate physical exercise, and
► 32.9 per cent reported risky alcohol consumption2. At their respective risk levels, women were more likely to drink at risky levels than men (40.2 per cent compared with 26.6 per cent).

About WorkHealth checks

► More than 340,000 Victorian workers have had a free WorkHealth check since the program began in March 2008.
► WorkHealth checks are free, confidential and take just 15 minutes. Participating workers complete a short lifestyle questionnaire and have their waistline, blood cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar measured by a health professional.
► Results and advice are provided on the spot, including risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and recommended lifestyle improvements
► Workers found to be at risk for chronic disease can opt-in to participate in the free WorkHealth Coach program. This helps workers make ongoing health improvements by assisting them to enrol in a free lifestyle program.
► All Victorian businesses that pay a WorkSafe Insurance Premium, or are an Approved Self Insurer, can sign up to have WorkHealth checks provided to their workers.

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1 In the lifestyle survey, workers are asked: “In general, is your health excellent, very good, good, fair or poor?”