Skip to main content
2024 NSCA National Conference Main banner
Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Back
Rate ePoster

Tactical Strength and Conditioning

(26) ESTABLISHING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK CUTOFF VALUES IN FIREFIGHTERS

Friday, July 12, 2024
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM East Coast USA Time
Location: Exhibit Hall
Abstract Details:

Background: Previous work suggests a relationship between CVD risk among firefighters (FF) and oxidative stress (OS), poor fitness, and body composition. However, limited research has utilized receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to determine if these parameters can be indicative of CVD risk.

Purpose: This study determined if biomarkers of CVD risk, fitness, and body composition could be used to delineate between low-risk (LOW) and moderate-risk (MOD) classifications.

Methods: 160 career structural FFs from a local fire department were recruited. Fasted blood samples were collected for lipids, glucose, and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP). Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and girth measures were taken to assess body composition. The FF completed a cardiopulmonary exercise test, and VO2max was estimated via the Foster equation. Based on the American College of Sports Medicine Scoring standards, FF were risk-stratified in LOW or MOD classifications. Shapiro-Wilk Test was used to assess normality. Independent sample T-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests (if normality was violated) were used to assess differences in CVD risk biomarkers, fitness, and body composition between LOW and MOD. Effect sizes were calculated as Cohen’s d. ROC Curves were performed to establish cutoff values to discern LOW from MOD. An area under the curve (AUC) < 0.5 denotes poor ability to discern LOW from MOD, while 0.7-0.8 is acceptable, 0.8-0.9 is excellent, and >0.9 is outstanding. Cutoff values were derived by using the minimum distance from the left upper corner of the unit square to the nearest point to the left upper corner on the ROC curve.

Results: Compared to FF classified as LOW, MOD FF exhibited lower (p< 0.05) fitness, as well as unfavorable body composition and CVD risk parameters (See Table 1A). Significant and poor ROC curves were noted for all fitness parameters. Significant ROC curve AUCs ranging from acceptable to excellent were noted for body mass (BM), body mass index (BMI), body fat percent (BF%), fat mass (FM), waist circumference, android and gynoid adiposity, AOPP, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and triglycerides (TG), while a near-acceptable ROC curve was noted for and glucose (See Table 1B). Cutoff values were established for BM, BMI, BF%, FM, waist circumference, android adiposity, and AOPP, TC, LDL, and TG (See Table 1C).

Conclusions: BM, BMI, BF%, FM, waist circumference, android adiposity, and AOPP, TC, LDL, and TG can be used to discern LOW from MOD. These findings suggest that coaches should emphasize tracking body composition and CVD risk biomarkers among FF. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Coaches can impact FF health, wellness, and longevity by closely monitoring the cutoff values for body composition and CVD risk biomarkers. Educating FF and fire departments on these cutoff values and designing fitness training programs to improve these relevant markers will improve outcomes.

Acknowledgements: None