Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40810743›Full record

ArticleInternational archives of occupational and environmental health2025

Cardiovascular load and physical capacity in older workers engaged in physically demanding occupations.

Viktoria Wahlström, Farhad Abtahi, Mikael Forsman, Liyun Yang, Pontus Öhrner, Andreas Tornevi, Albin Stjernbrandt, Charlotte Lewis, Lisbeth Slunga Järvholm

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International archives of occupational and environmental health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Viktoria WahlströmDepartment of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden. viktoria.wahlstrom@umu.se.ORCID 0000-0002-4656-7606
Farhad AbtahiDivision of Ergonomics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-7807-8682
Mikael ForsmanDivision of Ergonomics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-5777-4232
Liyun YangInstitute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-7285-824X
Pontus ÖhrnerSports Medicine, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0009-0006-5492-1990
Andreas TorneviDepartment of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-8608-0168
Albin StjernbrandtDepartment of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-6082-8465
Charlotte LewisDepartment of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-7627-0179
Lisbeth Slunga JärvholmDepartment of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-8080-146X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo measure and determine the occupational cardiovascular workload and cardiovascular fitness among older employees (50 +) in four physically demanding occupational groups.

methodsHealth investigations, including aerobic capacity, were performed on 120 construction and kitchen workers, cleaners, and assistant nurses. Cardiovascular load was assessed over three working days using heart rate (HR) measurements. Data was processed for average loads (HR and Relative HR reserve (%HRR)) and measures describing variations in loads, such as time spent in different heart rate intensities.

resultsParticipants' mean age was 57 (SD 4.1) years, and 63% of the participants were female. The mean %HRR over occupational groups was 24.9% (SD 6.8). Of the participants, 43% had an average cardiovascular load above 24.5%HRR and 11% over 33%HRR. Depending on the work sector, 22-37% of the worktime was spent in intensities over 30%HRR, and 2-4% was spent in cardiovascular intensities over 50%HRR. The average VO

conclusionWe found a high mean cardiovascular load at work among the senior workers in all four work sectors, but low proportions of the worktime were spent in high intensity levels. Despite a high mean cardiovascular load at work, a high proportion of the workers had low cardiovascular fitness. Given the possible negative effects of occupational physical activity and to meet future demographic challenges, future interventions should aim to reduce physical loads and increase physical fitness in the workforce.

Indexed as

Cardiorespiratory FitnessHeart RateOccupationsPhysical ExertionPhysical FitnessWorkloadAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedOxygen ConsumptionAssistant nursesCleanersConstruction workersKitchen workersOccupational physical activityProlonged working life

Identifiers

PMID40810743
PMCPMC12484335

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.