Biomedical subjects

Gary Harbin

Publications and source records attributed to Gary Harbin.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Ten-year comparison of BMI, body fat, and fitness in the workplace.

BACKGROUND: Overweight, obestity, and lack of fitness in America is reported to be increasing at an accelerated pace. This national trend has serious health and economic ramifications not only for the general population but also directly for industry. Obesity in the workplace has resulted in increased expenses to industry: directly through increased medical costs and indirectly through decreased productivity. The intent of this study is to define changes in fitness and body fat percentage in a working population in an isogeographical area over the past decade. METHODS: Data accumulated during a routine post-offer testing program were divided into two groups composed of new industry hires tested from 1990 to 1992 and from 2000 to 2002. Body fat was measured with a standard skinfold. The body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI) from year 1990 were compared to those from year 2000. Fitness was assessed through an individual's ability to perform a timed maximum number of sit-ups and squats. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the BMI between the year 1990 group and the year 2000 group (P = 0.132 for females and P = 0.110 for males). There was a significant increase in body fat percentage from the 1990 group to the 2000 group (P = 0.000 for females and P = 0.000 for males). A significant decrease in fitness was observed for both males and females during the 10-year interval of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Percent body fat appears to be a better indicator than BMI for utilization in industry for evaluation of obesity in the workplace. The differences in significance levels between BMI and percent body fat suggest that a decrease in leisure-time fitness activities could potentially contribute to the trend toward obesity. This study demonstrates that strength and/or fitness are important indicators that industry should monitor in order to improve the health and fitness of the workforce. Direct measurement of percent body fat and fitness indices are a more precise means than BMI for monitoring the workforce especially if employers are going to reward healthy behavior.

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PubMed2005

Post-offer, pre-placement testing in industry.

BACKGROUND: Pre-placement testing was implemented during World War II. Its current use has been reshaped by economic factors, litigation, legislation, and advances in medicine. In response to a request from a local industry intent upon lowering their work-related injuries, a post-offer screening program was developed and implemented. The aim of this study was to develop a testing protocol for determining physical capacity that could be adapted for a post-offer, pre-placement program. METHODS: Functional capacity evaluation (FCE) testing was used to determine the physical capacity of 2,482 uninjured, healthy prospective new employees of a large food production plant. A comprehensive medical history and 20 different anthropometric, fitness, strength, and lifting tests were administered to all new hires in the first phase of this study to determine if injury incidence could be estimated through functional screening testing. The second study was designed to determine the effectiveness of the application of a post-offer, pre-placement program in an electrical equipment manufacturing facility. RESULTS: Strength testing alone was of no predictive value for work injury incidence. There was a strong correlation of physical capacity to physical job requirements. If an employee had the physical capability to perform the essential functions of the job, there was a lower injury rate as compared to the employee not demonstrating the physical strength or ability to perform the essential functions of the job. The incidence of low back injuries in those workers with the physical capabilities to perform the required functions of their job was 3%. However, among those workers who did not demonstrate the strength or physical abilities to perform their job, there was a 33% incidence of low back injuries. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that physical capacity testing that compares lifting ability to job lifting requirements correlates to work injury incidence. The application of appropriate post-offer, pre-placement testing is shown to be a cost-effective method to lower the incidence of work-related injuries.

Adult↗