Prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors in Brazilian military firefighters of both sexes

Abstract Introduction The high cardiovascular burden of the firefighting profession and the increased prevalence of risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases (RFCD) in the general population requires special attention in this workforce. Objective To investigate the prevalence of RFCD in Brazilian military firefighters of both sexes. Methods In 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 247 firefighters, 27.5% women (36.3 ± 7.2 years) and 72.5% men (41.6 ± 9.1 years), through online, translated, and validated questionnaires. Cardiovascular risk stratification was carried out according to American College of Sports Medicine-ACSM guidelines. Results The most prevalent modifiable RFCD were arterial hypertension (38.5%), hyperglycemia (30.8%), and hypercholesterolemia (20.2%). 75 participants (30.4%) reported not knowing their lipid profile and 58.7% were unable to report whether their blood glucose was within or outside the normal range. Most participants (52.6%) presented high cardiovascular risk, with the proportion being higher among women (73.5%). Only 15.4% of the sample were physically inactive. Conclusion The military firefighters evaluated showed a worryingly high proportion of RFCD, as well as high cardiovascular risk. Our findings support the need for health education and screening, prevention, and treatment strategies for RFCD in these professionals, especially given the intrinsic high cardiovascular risk associated with this profession.