Disparate exposure to physically demanding working conditions in France

BackgroundOur study was aimed at examining disparate exposure to physically demanding working conditions in France, a key objective being to identify the types of employees/jobs requiring high-priority preventive actions.MethodsWe analyzed the data from the 2017 French nationwide cross-sectional survey (SUMER) on occupational hazards to which French employees in various sectors were subjected. The prevalence of several types of physically demanding working conditions (lifting of heavy loads, awkward body postures, vibrations, noise, and extreme temperatures) was explored. Potential associations of individual and job characteristics with these factors of hardship at work were studied by multivariate logistic regression.ResultsIn total, 48% of employees were exposed to at least one physically demanding working condition and 24.8% were exposed to multiple constraints. While managers and intellectual professionals were exposed relatively infrequently to physical constraints, blue-collar workers experienced the highest frequency of exposure. On the one hand, the role of company size depended on the factor of hardship at work considered; on the other hand, employees in large-scale companies were generally less exposed. As expected, employees in the construction industry were the most exposed to physical constraints; that said, our results also show that some activities in the services sector (e.g., personal care, administrative and support services) were quite significantly affected by a wide array of physically demanding working conditions.ConclusionNotwithstanding the establishment in France of Plans de Santé au travail (preventive workplace health and safety plans), occupational risks were found to be high, and above all, they were unevenly distributed among the various socio-professional categories, and strongly contributed to social inequalities in health. Our results identify the types of publics to be designated as high-priority targets for preventive measures aimed at reducing the adverse impacts of physically demanding working conditions and the incidence of associated musculoskeletal disorders.     

安徽省7—18岁学生体质状况分析

本文对安徽省７—１８岁城乡学生１９９５年与１９８５年体质状况资料比较分析,显示本省学生生长发育过程符合生长发育的一般规律,形态发育水平明显提高;发育速度处于长期趋势快速增长阶段;发育高峰年龄有提前趋势;发育匀称度以细长型为主;呼吸机能的肺活量明显下降;身体素质发育有不同程度下降;本省学生体质状况处于全国平均水平以下。     

Exercice physique, carence estrogénique, monoxyde d'azote et remodelage osseux

Summary

Objectives

The aim of this paper is to emphasize the possible relationships established between estrogens and physical exercise and concerning bone metabolism. Nitric oxide (NO) might play an important role in such relationships.

Topics

Cellular metabolism of NO, as well as NO effects upon osteoblasts and osteoclasts have been summarized. Several studies indicate that NO deficiency might be implicated in various vascular diseases observed in post-menopausal women. Other works also indicate that NO deficiency induced by cessation of ovarian activity might be responsible for osteopenia associated with this condition. Thus, decreased production of NO would be responsible both for post-menopausal osteoporosis as well as for osteopenia sometimes observed in amenorrheic athletes. Moreover osteoblastic response to mechanical stimulation might implicate estrogenic receptor(s). The role of these receptors in the regulation of NO synthesis is still unknown.