MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – A sedentary lifestyle can be an ingredient to poor health outcomes.
A 2020 article in the National Library of Medicine details how as many as 80 percent of jobs in the American workforce are sedentary.
Philip Morgan, a truck driver for Farden Construction, said he’s driven trucks for the last 30 years, but he wasn’t always in peak health.
“I struggled health-wise, okay, and over the years I figured, if I wanted to keep truck driving, I had to start taking care of myself,” said Morgan.
He said he now packs his own lunch, and so does David Hoff, a fleet manager and dispatcher for Farden Construction.
Hoff said the company encourages drivers to move around when they can.
“You’ll feel better and it’s just better for you. A body needs that,” said Hoff.
Morgan said it’s routine now for him to stretch his shoulders, back, legs and calves during breaks. He said during deliveries he gets steps in checking around the truck.
“Some folks think that it’s an easy job, but it’s a little more stressful than you think,” said Morgan.
Transporting potentially hazardous material in a supersized machine can be a lot of pressure. Kevin Ward, the compliance officer for Farden Construction, said during an annual meeting one of the guest speakers was a nutritionist.
“I’m always looking for anything that’s safety-wise. What can I do? Well, health is a big safety thing,” said Ward.
He said if a medical emergency were to happen on the road, the driver and others could get hurt.
Health is multifaceted, and Ward said they take steps to mitigate those risks.
One of the truck drivers said they drive on average 8 to 10 hours a day.
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