Long working hours are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, yet the underlying mechanism(s) remain unclear. The study examines how occupational factors like working hours, shift work, and employment status correlate with dietary choices and sodium intake, impacting hypertension risk.

This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2013 and 2020. The dataset included 8,471 respondents, all of whom were wage workers aged 20 or older and reported working at least 36 hours per week. Individuals who have been previously diagnosed with or are currently diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia were excluded. The average daily sodium intake was assessed via a 24-hour dietary recall method. Average weekly working hours were categorized into 3 groups: 36–40 hours, 41–52 hours, and over 52 hours. Multiple logistic regression models were used.

Study findings revealed that 83.7% of participants exceeded the recommended daily sodium intake of 2 g set by the World Health Organization. After adjusting for confounding factors, a positive correlation was observed between average working hours and daily sodium intake. Among males, statistical significance was found in the group with average weekly working hours of 41–52 hours (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.30) and the group exceeding 52 hours (PR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.09–1.38) when comparing the fourth quartile of daily sodium intake to the combined quartiles of Q1, Q2, and Q3. Among females, no significance was noted.

Long working hours were associated with increased sodium intake, primarily among male workers. This connection is likely attributed to having less time for home-cooked meals, resulting in higher fast food consumption and dining out. A workplace intervention promoting healthy eating and reducing stress is essential to lower sodium consumption and mitigate hypertension risk.

Human nutrient intake is closely related to the conditions of their workplace.

This study used data from the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES) conducted between 2016 and 2020. The study population comprised individuals aged 19 to 65 years who were engaged in paid work, excluding soldiers (total = 12,201, male = 5,872, female = 6,329). The primary outcome of interest was the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) score, which was calculated using dietary intake data. Generalized linear models were used for statistical analyses.

Pink-collar workers had higher DII scores, indicating a potentially higher inflammatory diet than white-collar workers (mean: 2.18 vs. 1.89, p < 0.001). Green and blue-collar workers displayed lower levels of dietary inflammation (green: 1.64 vs. 1.89, p = 0.019, blue: 1.79 vs. 1.89, p = 0.022). After adjusting for sex, age, income, education, and energy intake, the sole trend that persisted was the comparison between white-collar and pink-collar workers.

DII scores and dietary patterns differed among occupational groups and genders.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a rare, neurodegenerative disease with various occupational and environmental risk factors. Exposure to specific pesticides contributes significantly to the incidence of PD. However, it is difficult to measure the level of pesticide exposure in workers. This study presents the first case recognized the work-relatedness between PD and pesticide exposure.

A 68-year-old male was diagnosed with PD after working with pesticides at a tomato greenhouse for 12 years and 5 months. From the results of a field study, it was reasonable to assume that the patient had been exposed to a significant level of various insecticides. In the present report, we described the first accepted case of work-relatedness between PD and exposure to pesticides. The evaluation was conducted using the following steps: we ruled out other possible risk factors including additional occupational history and personal risk factors, we assessed the work environment, surveyed possible exposures, found proper epidemiological evidence, and calculated the probability of causation. The work-relatedness was determined through the review of epidemiological evidence and estimation of exposure situation and level, and biological plausibility. We also decided work-relatedness based on the exposure of PD related pesticides with identified biologically plausible and the presumption that the exposure level would be high due to the working process.

In this case, the field study and epidemiological results supported the work-relatedness of PD and exposure to pesticides. Moreover, the results of previous studies have confirmed a causal relationship between exposure to pesticides and PD.

Farmers are often exposed to dust, molds, pollen, animal products, insects, and chemicals. Accordingly, they have a high prevalence of respiratory and allergic diseases. Some studies have shown that farmers have a high prevalence of respiratory diseases and symptoms depending on where farmers work. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether certain types of agricultural workplaces are associated with the prevalence of allergic reactions in skin prick tests (SPTs) in South Korea.

A total of 149 farmers, grouped according to their workplaces in greenhouses, poultry houses, or outdoors, answered a self-reported questionnaire about the prevalence of respiratory diseases and symptoms. They were skin-tested using 12 allergens. The questionnaire and the prevalence of positive skin tests were determined for each of the participant groups, and the results were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.

There were significant differences in the prevalence of allergic reactions to the SPT, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs) and asthma symptoms (wheezing) among the subgroups. The allergic reaction to SPT was the highest in greenhouse workers (30.9%), followed by poultry house workers (15.9%), and outdoor workers (8.1%). The prevalence of COPD was 6.8% in poultry house workers alone and not in other groups. The prevalence of wheezing was the highest at 9.1% in poultry house workers. According to the results of the logistic analysis, the prevalence of allergic reactions to SPT had positive correlations with the types of workplaces. Greenhouse workers had higher risk of SPT sensitization compared to outdoor workers (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 5.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32–32.24). The prevalence of SPT positivity also had an association with the symptoms of sneezing, rhinorrhea, or nasal congestion (adjusted OR: 6.64, 95% CI: 2.06–23.63).

These data demonstrate that the types of workplaces were associated with the prevalence of allergic sensitization. This could be explained by the difference in the type or level of airborne exposures in each workplace. It is also likely that this was caused by differences between groups of individual factors such as age and BMI that influence SPT sensitization.

Firefighters are exposed to many dangerous working conditions. Many studies have identified the risk of disease for firefighters, but only a few studies have addressed the medical expenses of firefighters, which represents a concrete scale of disease. Our purpose in this study was to determine the medical expenditures of firefighters to assess the overall scale of disease in Korea. We focused on cancer, mental disorders, cardio-cerebrovascular disease, and musculoskeletal disease, the prevalence of which was expected to be high in firefighters.

This study utilized National Health Insurance Service data. We targeted firefighters, police officers, and government officials. We classified disease based on the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems codes. We compared prevalence by the age-standardized prevalence rate, considering standard distribution of the population. Medical expenditure of disease was defined as outpatient fees, hospitalization fees, and drug costs. Total medical expenditures were calculated by the sum of those 3 categories.

The age-standardized prevalence of cancer, mental disorders, and cardiovascular disease in firefighters was slightly higher than or similar to that of government officials and police officers (no significant difference). However, medical expenditures for stomach cancer, mental disorders, and most cardio-cerebrovascular diseases were higher in firefighters than in others. In particular, firefighters spent 12 times more money for ischemic heart disease than did government officials. Of musculoskeletal diseases, lumbar disc disorder had the highest expenditures among firefighters.

The age-standardized prevalence of most of diseases of firefighters was not as high as in the other groups, but the medical expenses of firefighters were much higher than those of government officials and police officers.