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The death of the fry-up?
Page 28
Page 29
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The old stereotype of truck drivers scoffing bacon and eggs down the local greasy spoon
is history, says CM'S survey into drivers' health.
Ask members of the public for their image of truck drivers and like as not they'll drag up the tired old stereotype al a fat bloke in a vest, fag in hand, who stops ..very so often at greasy spoon to wolf down another plate of deep fried lard and animal aroducts. But judging by our nationwide survey rito the eating habits of truck drivers, this image has little to do with reality.
According to our poll, which involved nearly 1,000 drivers at four UK truckstops, less than a parter of UK truck drivers admit to eating a fry-up at least once a day, while just over half ;aid they exercised regularly and nearly twothirds classed themselves as being fit.
Alcohol abuse does not appear to be prevaLent in the industry either, with only 10% of the survey group admitting to drinking more than 20 units a week. According to Department of Health guidelines issued in February 2004, three to four units of alcohol per day should not Lead to any significant health risks.This should :tome as welcome relief to an industry hit by a :rippling driver shortage and with a poor record xi health issues.
However, it's not all good news and there are several areas of concern which should start alarm bells ringing around the sector. For starters the most popular breakfast remains a fry-up, with 26% of the survey declaring a full English breakfast,or a derivative thereof, as their wakeup meal of choice, while 23% had cereal and 21% trusted toast.
However, at least drivers are aware of health issues these days — nearly half the drivers surveyed said they were concerned about their diet and 40% said they were concerned about their health, with blood pressure a particular worry. Lack of sleep is an age-old problem among drivers— while 84% reckoned they were getting more than six hours sleep a night, a worrying 16% said they had less than six hours' shut-eye in the past 24.
Research has shown that tired drivers are as dangerous as drunk drivers.
Smoking is another perennial issue for drivers, with 44% saying they smoked more than five cigarettes a day—way above the 28% UK average for male smokers. Even worse is the 14% of drivers on more than 20 fags a day.
According to the survey group many drivers felt there was a distinct lack of healthy eating options at the truckstops. Apart from a sad pile of lettuce on a plate masquerading as a salad, a number of drivers we spoke to said they would prefer healthier cooked food options and perhaps even low-calorie dishes on the menu.
Though more than 50% of drivers said they snacked between meals, many said they were now more likely to choose fruit rather than chocolate or crisps. • Embarting on this research we were concerned our findings might make for poor reading. In the event, the health of the UK's truck drivers is in much better shape than many would have guessed, despite the lack of regularly available healthy food options at truckstops. Sure the fry-up remains a popular breakfast choice, but the fact many drivers are now opting for cereal or toast is good news. The claim that more than half are exercising regularly also indicates an industry in improving shape. FACT FILE There's a long tradition of truckstops majoring on tried food, but most are prepared to offer healthier alternatives if that's what drivers want