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Muegge CM, Zollinger TW, Song Y, Wessel J, Monahan PO, Moffatt SM. Barriers to Weight Management Among Overweight and Obese Firefighters. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. 2020 Jan 1; 62(1):37-45.
OBJECTIVE: To examine barriers to weight management among firefighters. METHODS: Health risk data collected on 2373 overweight firefighters were used for this cross-sectional study. Barriers to weight management were the dependent variables and demographic characteristics, readiness for change, and health risk factors were the correlates in the multivariate-adjusted logistic models. RESULTS: Overweight firefighters who were ready to begin a weight management program were more likely to identify "lack of knowledge about weight management," "lack of access to exercise opportunities," and "eating helps me cope with stress" and report a greater number of barriers toward weight management. Older firefighters were less likely to identify or report one or more barriers to weight management. CONCLUSION: Understanding barriers, readiness for change, and age may be useful in planning interventions to help firefighters better manage their weight.