As truck drivers are particularly exposed to overweight and obesity, a program entitled “Transportez vous bien” was launched in Indre at the end of September to encourage them to change their eating habits.
How to eat healthy when you spend your days driving? In order to encourage truck drivers, particularly exposed to overweight or obesity, to pay attention to their diet, the Carcept Prev Foundation, involved in the social protection of the transport sector, in partnership with the start-up Smart Diet, a network of expert dietitian nutritionists, has set up a program entitled “Transport yourself well” in India. The latter was inaugurated at the large roadside restaurant L’Escale Village, in the town of Déols, at the end of September.
Among transport professionals, there are twice as many obese or overweight people as the national average, in particular because of the often staggered pace of life and the lack of physical exercise linked to the profession. Indeed, drivers are often sedentary 23 hours a day. “Eating, lying down directly behind, or taking the wheel directly behind without doing any activity, that does not help. (…) And then unfortunately there are also a lot of restaurants where there is steak and fries and we don’t have many other choices”, explains Bruno Lefèbvre, vice president of Carcept Prev, to France Blue Indre.
According to a study conducted in 2018 by the foundation, among a quarter of the employees questioned, nutrition is a real health issue in their daily lives. However, poor food hygiene is not without risk: it promotes the appearance of certain diseases such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes or even cardiovascular disorders.
Coaching, conferences and a mobile application
With the Nutrition program, the initiators therefore wish to encourage as many truck drivers as possible to eat better and “guide them in how to consider malnutrition and a sedentary lifestyle”, they explain. on their site. In detail, Smart Diet offers three-month coaching by videoconference or telephone to employees who encounter food problems. The company’s nutritionists also offer conferences and workshops for drivers. Finally, a mobile application “Transport yourself well” will soon be available online.
But, in addition to employees, Carcept Prev wants to involve restaurants in its initiative, in order to feed them as best as possible. The L’Escale Village truck stop was the first to get involved and the chefs spoke with nutritionists. The aim is to develop tailor-made menus and better meet the needs of transport professionals by integrating health risks and business risks such as drowsiness at the wheel.
Educational advice and nutrition booklets
As part of the program, the restaurants involved in the operation will also have to provide all passing drivers with a prevention space with educational advice and nutrition booklets.
Remember that to have a healthy food hygiene, the key is to avoid snacking between meals and not to eat too fatty, too sweet or too salty. It is also recommended to eat three meals a day, consisting of proteins, starches and vegetables. Finally, don’t forget your daily 1.5 liters of water.
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