Examining Dietary Intake of EMS Workers in Southern New Hampshire

Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers and firefighters are a demographic at greater risk for cardiovascular disease than the general American public. An atherogenic dietary pattern with limited physical exercise due to occupational stresses and time constraints could lead to increased risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and heart events. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers and firefighters may face barriers to preparing meals due to unpredictability and inconsistency of call volume; one day may be quiet with only a few calls, while another may consist of many back-to-back ones. This may lead to a reliance on foods that can be eaten quickly or do not require time or effort to prepare. Unfortunately, these foods are more likely to have more saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Due to these factors, it was hypothesized that intakes of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars would be higher than intakes of these nutrients of concern off-shift. For this study dietary intake (food records) on- and off-shift were collected and analyzed using the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour (ASA24®) Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24), version (2024), developed by the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD. Nutrient intakes and diet quality scores for dietary intake on- and off-shift were calculated to determine adherence to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Participants consumed increased fat, saturated fat, sodium and decreased whole grains in comparison to USDA Dietary Guidelines. This is a baseline study, that will hopefully garner research interest in on-shift versus off-shift dietary intake of shift work populations as a way to identify dietary intervention points for these populations.