Bmi yes or no???

I'm lost. BMI?

 

The ever-feared Body Mass Index.

 

It is already being discussed by the medical review board as a screening tool for sleep apnea. Thry recommend that a BMI over 30 should trigger a mandatory sleep study. IT IS NOT A RULE YET! I've got a dozen donuts that says it willbe in the next few years.
Additionally there Are companies now that will not hire someone over 30 BMI.
I will b starting a diet This week to lose weight. I currently have a 45 BMI (6'4" 320 lbs) . I need to lose over 100 pounds in the next 19 months before my current card expires.
I suggested if you are overweight, you better start thinking about getting the weight off now or start looking for a different career to get into!
IMHO, This is just another tool that is being used to get rid of drivers with experience that expect a higher wage and cut into the company's profit margin!!!

 

When I had my back surgery my surgeon mentioned that they were getting information about how the gov. is going to start setting requirements that are more stringent than the current medical requirements. He said the gov. was going to get serious when it comes to drivers health. I was surprised that a back surgeon would be receiving info on truck driver health until he mentioned that truck drivers were a group that has a high incident rate for back injuries.

 

I have just returned to trucking after a few years away. the company I chose sent me to their own doctor for my physical. I'm 5-11. My weight at the time was 221. The chart showed I was a 31 by three pounds.
The doctor pointed it out to me and told me "you have 90 days to lose at least three pounds". Not a problem, I've lost about 15 so far.
Other drivers there that were not in orientation or training were telling us they were informed they must meet a BMI of 30 or less by their next DOT renewal. Some complained, some just accepted it.
I agree with others. I think companies are using this to ferret out drivers. I think CSA 2010 will eventually come up with some rules regarding this as well.
And I'm sure (my opinion) insurance companies are putting pressure on the companies regarding this as well.
Interestingly enough, I didn't find any lease drivers that said they had heard a thing. This may only apply to company drivers at this company. Who knows?
As for me? I'm below the magic 218 I needed to be, but I know a few others that are sweating bullets right now.

 

It has to do with safety. A healthy driver is "supposedly" a safer driver. A driver that suffers from sleep apnea is prone to dozing off at any time due to lack of good rest.

 

everything I've read says the BMI is not going to be the end all for drivers. BMI combined with sleep apnea, high blood pressure and other problems combined could keep you from driving. If all you have is a high BMI but no other problems, then it shouldn't affect your medical card.

 

I'm in full agreement with you about insurance companies being on the front lines of BMI/Obstructive Sleep Apnea stuff. It just makes sense. With all the info out there about the adverse effects of OSA, insurance companies would be foolish, if not totally irresponsible, to turn a deaf ear to the massive amount of info about the dangers of OSA and driving. The fact is, BMI IS an indicator of the POSSIBILITY that an individual MIGHT have OSA. Much of what I've read about BMI/OSA leads me to believe that carriers are not so much interested in ferretting out drivers with BMIs in the so-called OBESE range, but they are interested in finding out if a driver has a condition (OSA) that has the potential for causing a disaster and, as an end result, causing their insurance rates to escalate further.

A question floats through my mind when I read posts about carriers that are, supposedly, terminating drivers with high BMIs or, at least, threatening termination because of a high BMI. Why would a carrier put policies and requirements into place that would allow the automatic termination of proven, successful money-makers, i.e., professional drivers that they already have on their payroll? I'd have to refresh my memory (whoa, that could take a while! LOL) and go back to some of the articles I've read but I think the best approach a carrier can take is to retain the "money-maker" but get him or her evaluated and, if necessary, treated.

It's kinda like friendship.....it's easier to keep a friend than it is to make a friend!

BTW: Just to be on the safe side, I need to lose about 15 lbs!!!!

 

When the doc told you to lose three pounds was that a company requirement? (staying at or under 30 BMI)