Rescue workers are often portrayed in movies as athletic, tireless heroes who rush into fires without hesitation. The reality, however, is different. A new study suggests that more than half of rescue workers in Estonia and Latvia are overweight. Chronic sleep deprivation and a lack of time also affect both their mental and physical health.

Researchers from Tallinn University of Technology and Riga Technical University uncovered these findings after examining the health data, physical activity and psychosocial working conditions of more than 1,000 professional firefighters in Estonia and Latvia.

The data showed that nearly 55 percent of firefighters in both countries were either overweight or obese. Most notably, while most of the men sleep between six and nine hours before a shift, barely one in 10 said they consistently felt well-rested. More than half of the firefighters also suffered from back pain.

The analysis also revealed differences between the two countries. Latvian rescue workers were more likely to experience bouts of anger and panic attacks, while their Estonian colleagues reported more difficulty concentrating and digestive problems.

The problem stems from an imbalance between high job demands and inadequate opportunities for recovery. Firefighters' day-to-day work involves extreme physical exertion, irregular shifts and exposure to traumatic events.

The situation is compounded by the fact that more than 55 percent of rescue workers in Latvia and 40 percent in Estonia need a second job to make ends meet. Additional work significantly reduces the free time that would otherwise be available for exercise and recovery. In Latvia, only slightly more than half of respondents found time to exercise, compared with just over 63 percent in Estonia.

According to the researchers, the solution lies in changing how organizations structure their work. Rescue workers' health problems cannot be solved simply by advising them to exercise more. Instead, agencies need to create a system in which physical training and dedicated rest periods are built into work shifts.

The researchers published their findings in the journal Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences.

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