Incidence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Physical Activity, and Diet in Law Enforcement Officers: A 6-Year Prospective Study

Background: Law enforcement officers (LEOs) often display poor cardiovascular health, which can impair job performance and increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. While many cross-sectional studies have documented these issues, few have examined the progression of CVD risk factors over time, and none appear to have used a longitudinal design assessing incidence in relation to healthy lifestyle behaviors within a sex-representative sample of this occupation. Methods: This prospective study followed 228 LEOs (28% women) over 6 years using online questionnaires assessing CVD risk factors, physical activity, and fruit and vegetable intake. Incidence of CVD risk factors was analyzed according to baseline physical activity (active vs. inactive), fruit and vegetable intake (≥5 vs. <5 servings/day), and their combined adherence. Findings: Over time, participants showed significant increases in weight ( p < .001, Cohen’s d = .49), body mass index ( p < .001, Cohen’s d = .53), and prevalence of most CVD risk factors. Physically inactive LEOs demonstrated higher incidence of dyslipidemia (7% vs. 0%, p = .04, Cramer’s V = .15) compared to active counterparts. Those consuming <5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables were more likely to develop hypertension (7% vs. 0%, p < .01, Cramer’s V = .19) and dyslipidemia (8% vs. 1%, p = .01, Cramer’s V = .18). The lowest cumulative incidence was observed among participants meeting both lifestyle recommendations. Conclusions/Application to Practice: CVD risk factors increased over time in this LEO sample, with baseline physical inactivity and poor diet tending to predict greater incidence. These findings suggest the need for workplace health promotion programs targeting physical activity and healthy eating to reduce long-term CVD risk in this population.