The effectiveness of a tailor-made intervention aiming at a healthy lifestyle of construction workers. (WC2008-055)

Background

 The prevalence of obesity continues to increase rapidly. It is common knowledge that obesity has a negative impact on health, short term (for example musculoskeletal disorders) as well as long term (for example diabetes and cardiovascular disease). Recent research showed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in workers in the construction industry is even higher than in the general Dutch adult population. Furthermore, in construction workers the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) is high. These complaints result in sickness absence and productivity loss and are possibly related to an unhealthy lifestyle.