Research Paper on Unhealthy Eating Is a Behavioural Problem Among Truck Drivers

Introduction

Obesity is a health condition where fat accumulates abnormally or excessively in adipose tissue. This condition is measured using body mass index, but sometimes the circumference of someone's waist is used to determine whether they are overweight or obese. The truck drivers are however at the highest risk of becoming obese. The bulky goods truck drivers have the challenge of choosing healthy foods and others believe that healthy foods are expensive and inconvenient to get. The trade unions have the responsibility of sensitizing the truck drivers to maintain a healthy life by eating healthy food and exercising.

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The health of union members is very crucial as obesity is associated with diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Approximately 28 percent of the United Kingdom truck drivers are obese6. Majority of the truck drivers are members of United Road Transport Union. This union was first registered in 1890, but its name was United Carters Association. It adopted its latest name in 1964 and is currently the only trade union specialized road haulage, distribution as well as in transport logistics. The union members benefit from support from the union whenever they face bullying or any form of discrimination in the workplace. In this case, the union should address the issues of increasing cases of obesity among its members by embracing various strategies.

Weight can be managed through diet based wellness programs4. The trade unions can use this approach of enrolling truck drivers in educational programs as well as programs that are implemented through collaboration with the restaurants located on major routes. The preventive measure can be taken whereby the drivers' Body Mass index is assessed. The messages are important in health promotion so they should be coded in a way that trade unions will understand (Murcott, 2018). They must have an understanding of why there is a rise in the cases of obesity among truck drivers. Some of the theories that will be used to explain the effects on a message on behaviors are reasoned action theory and the health belief model.

Body Mass Index is the measurement which is used to calculate if a person is underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese. It is calculated by dividing the mass of a person in kilograms by his height in meters cubed22. With many truck drivers spending most of their time seated with minimal body movement. This leads to an increase in their body weight as there is no exercise to increase the rate of burning calories. With a low rate of calories burn there is an increased accumulation of fat in the body this makes one either overweight or obese which is not good to one's health. There is a need for change in behaviour and eating habits that will lead to weight loss among the truck drivers and help them maintain healthy body weight.

Theoretical Basis Strategy and Rational of the Study

All the parties involved in behavior change must be able to differentiate motivation and intention as well as intention versus action (Murcott, 2018). The process does not end at changing the behavior, but the proper behavior will need to be maintained. To change and sustain the appropriate behavior the theory that is most suited to the problem has to be identified and used. For any theory to bear fruits, the problem has to be correctly identified. Also, the goal has to be established, and those who are pioneering change identified and effectively addressed.

Behavior change theories are effective if they are evidence-based (Murcott, 2018). This means that they have been used previously and they were successful. It is also necessary to understand personal characteristics such as beliefs and attitudes that influence a person to adopt a particular behavior. Assessment of the influence of family, friends, and peers should also be carried out. Society and community setups also influence behavior; hence the need to consider these factors when carrying out behavior change. Rules, regulations, and policies also affect behavior hence the need to consider them when changing behavior.

Studies have shown that obesity begins when people are still young kids when the kids get the appetite of consuming more foods that they need (World Health Organization 2016). The eating behaviors of obese kids are entirely different from the eating behavior of kids that are not obese. The drivers that are obese in most instances they began to be overweight while they were still young kids. Different factors make one to either have an appetite of consuming more foods while other people don't have the appetite of consuming the foods.

There are certain types of foods that are believed to make people obese; people are concerned about the choices that they make in considering whether they want to become overweight or not (Ogden, Carroll, Fryar, &Flegal, 2015). Young people are choosing when it comes to foods that they consume; therefore they choose that they make will determine how their bodies will respond. Young people love processed foods that are believed to make people obese. The developed world people are concerned about their health; hence people want to live a healthy life free from obesity.

The trade unions should also intervene by using through motivation strategies 10. They should carry out the health campaign and offer leaflets to the truck drivers. These leaflets and cards should contain information that is related to a healthy lifestyle. The drivers can also be recruited in a lifestyle analysis exercise. The sessions will help in creating awareness on different healthy meals and what they should eliminate from their menu if they want to be fit.

The other intervention that can be used to minimize the cases of obesity among truck drivers is ensuring that in the workplace there is refrigeration and microwaves 28. Through this initiative, the employees can carry their healthy food while on the workstation because they will be sure that they will store it and warm it during lunchtime. The trade unions should, therefore, ensure that this kitchenware is at the workstations.

The messages are important in health promotion so they should be coded in a way that trade unions will understand. They must have an understanding of why there is a rise in the cases of obesity among truck drivers. Some of the theories that will be used to explain the effects on a message on behaviours are reasoned action theory and the health belief model.

There are certain types of foods that are believed to make people obese; people are concerned about the choices that they make in considering whether they want to become overweight or not17. Young people are choosing when it comes to foods that they consume; therefore they choose that they make will determine how their bodies will respond. Young people love processed foods that are believed to make people obese. The developed world people are concerned about their health; hence people want to live a healthy life free from obesity.

Living a healthy lifestyle is achieved by consuming the right diet and exercising regularly to keep the body fit17. Truck drivers don't get the opportunity to exercise; therefore the food that they consume determines their fitness. When the truck drivers change their careers to jobs that entail many activities including exercising the truck drivers are likely to become fit because they are active. When one becomes active, the body can breakdown the food consumed.

Reducing body weight and maintaining healthy body weight is not an easy task compared to gaining weight. For this reason, the trade unions need to help the truck drivers solve this problem which is affecting the majority of them. There are several interventions which are evidence-based so they can be applied in minimizing the number of obesity among the truck drivers. The trade unions can also intervene in education and training whereby the drivers will be registered for training on healthy diets 6. Due to the tight work schedule that is witnessed in truck driving the program should be sending messages that encourage the drivers to focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. These messages should be coded in a manner that the recipients will find a reason why they should live a healthy lifestyle.

From the research carried out it is clear that truck drivers engage in unhealthy eating for reasons such as lack of sufficient time to prepare healthy meals and incomplete information on what constitutes a healthy diet. The truck drivers work on a tight schedule as they are expected to be at a particular location at a specific time.25That is the reason why the trade unions need to intervene to ensure that they work for a reasonable number of hours and that they are left with time to prepare their meals and rest. The drivers may also be tired hence unable to cook thereby opting to buy food which most of the times are unhealthy foods. The reason why they purchase unhealthy food is that the majority of the food joints sell fast foods, so they are left with no option other than consuming what is available.

Aim of the Study

To address this health problem and promote the health of the truck drivers, Unhealthy eating is a behavioural problem so it can be solved if the drivers and the trade unions understand the most effective approaches. Before dealing with the problem, it is essential to understand the significance of consumers' opinions towards their health. Also, to understand why they consume meals and how this behaviour can be changed it will be critical to evaluate different levels of influence and undertake behavior change as a process, not as a single action.

Objectives that Fulfill the Overall Aim of the Study

1. To reduce obesity among truck drivers

2. To identify the root cause of obesity among truck drivers

3. To find out the ways of dealing with obesity among the truck drivers

Message That Will Be Communicated To Your Target Audience

The message to be communicated to the truck drivers is the importance of reducing weight to reduce the health risks that come with obesity. Also, the ways that the truck drivers can use to reduce their weight. The truck drivers need to understand the importance of having an optimum weight.

Proposed Channel(s) Of Communication and Materials Needed to Communicate With the Audience

When they prepare their meals, they should avoid sugary foods which is one of the unhealthiest food in the human body. Sugar is added to most foods especially the processed ones; hence it can be easily consumed without knowing. Sugar has been said to cause many diseases like heart disease, cancer, and other weight-related diseases. Much intake of sugar reduces the rate of calorie burning in the body hence making the body accumulate or not convert the fats stored in the body. This leads to increased body weight as there is no number of fats that is converted to energy. The person consuming the sugar can only add weight or retain his body weight. There is no possibility of decreasing weight.

Nutrition interventions should be effectively promoted in the workplace setup. The trade unions can, therefore, intervene by engaging the truck drivers on programs that will help in reducing obesity. To begin with, the trade unions should partner with the organization to implement a "food at work" approach28. This will help in analyzing the food habits of truck drivers and establish their progress in terms of fat intake, fiber intake as well as daily vegetable and fruit intake.

Living a healthy lifestyle is achieved by consuming a healthy lifestyle which entails consuming the right diet and excessing regularly to keep the body fit (Hawkes et al., 2015). Truck drivers don't get the opportunity to do excesses; therefore when they consume obese causing foods and they still don't do excesses. Their b...