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Analyse des aktuellen Gesundheitsstatus bei Personen im mittleren Lebensalter

Aim: Given the prevailing demographic trends, illness-related absences from work can be expected to play an increasingly important economic role in future. The aim of our survey was to describe the cardiovascular risk factors among employees of Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) and examine how the company’s health management programme can help solve impending problems in health promotion. Collective and methods: As part of the company’s health promotion programme, in future all BI employees aged 40 years and more will be offered comprehensive medical check-up examinations (FIT IM LEBEN — FIT IM JOB (FIT FOR LIFE — FIT FOR WORK). A total of 996 randomly selected employees in this age range were examined and counselled in 2006. In addition to various laboratory tests, relevant medical history and biometric data were recorded using a standardized questionnaire and relevant cardiovascular risk factors identified. The initial effects after the health counselling were also evaluated. Result: Overall, 45.5 % of those examined were overweight or obese. 34.7 % of those examined suffered from hypertension, the high blood pressure being newly diagnosed in 42.8 % of these cases. 52.0 % of all those examined were physically unfit. A manifest metabolic syndrome was noted in 25.8 % of cases and was associated, more frequently than average, with reduced physical fitness. In the follow-up interview, 63.9 % of interviewees stated that the check-up examination had caused them to reassess their diet, while 57.3 % said that it had prompted them to modify their fitness behaviour. Conclusion: Based on the evaluation of the preliminary data, the areas of nutrition and fitness and associated issues, including the treatment of metabolic syndrome, will represent key priorities for future counselling at BI. The Fit for life — Fit for work examinations are scheduled to be repeated at regular intervals (“FITrecall”). The inclusion of general practitioners in the follow-up management plan (“FITongoing”) should help strengthen individual health awareness, also away from the occupational medical practice. Accompanying health promotion activities oriented on the relevant theme complexes have already been initiated (“FITcoaching”).