Prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among UK commercial pilots

Aim: This study is one of the largest ever completed to examine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among commercial aircrew. Method and results: A retrospective cross-sectional study comparing prevalence of CVD risk factors age, body mass index (BMI), overweight and obesity, current smoking status, hypertension, and diabetes among commercial aircrew and the UK general population. A total of 14,379 subject records were eligible for the study. The age-sex group mean BMI was significantly lower in almost all pilot age groups compared to the general population. Overweight age-sex group prevalence was significantly higher in the <25, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 age groups for male pilots, and lower for female pilots in the 25-34 and 45-54 age groups. Male and female pilots had significantly lower age-sex-group prevalence of obesity and current smoking compared to the general population. For hypertension, the male <25 and 35-44 year age groups had significantly higher prevalence, and the 45-54 and 55-64 year age groups had significantly lower prevalence than the general population. Age-standardised mean BMI and prevalence of overweight and hypertension were not significantly different from the highest income quintile of the general population. Age-standardised obesity and current smoking prevalence were significantly lower in pilots compared to the highest socio-economic quintile of the general population. Conclusion: Even when comparisons were made with the highest income quintile of the general population to control for socio-economic status, pilots had a significantly lower prevalence of obesity and smoking. This finding is consistent with a strong 'healthy worker effect'.