The prevalence of precursors of cardiovascular diseases
such as hypertension and obesity is unevenly distributed
across occupational groups and ethnicities [1-4]. This
distribution in prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors
reflects variation in lifestyle behaviour and socioeconomic
status [1-4]. Factors within the working environment,
as well as lifestyle behaviour and socioeconomic
status contribute to the disparity and variation in the
prevalence of these diseases between occupational
groups [5-7]. Factors in the working environment receiving
most attention in relation to cardiovascular diseases
are psychosocial stressors, shift work and occupational
noise [8]. More recently, high physical work demands
have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular
disease [9] and mortality [10]. This may be explained by
upper limb activity increases heart rate and blood pressure
[11] at the same absolute intensity as during lower
limb activity. Additionally will the relatively higher aerobic
workload for performing an absolute work task with
low, compared to high, cardiorespiratory fitness, Figure 1,
[12] will contribute to an excessive stress on the arterial
wall and thereby it could constitute a cardiovascular risk.
One potential explanation of this is the inflammation
and cholesterol deposition in arterial endothelia, decreasing
the lumen-diameter and the level of contractility
of arterial layer of smooth muscle, giving rise
eventually to arteriosclerosis and hypertension [13].