Advises on obesity

Sophia Bullard, crew health programme director at UK P&I Club, has warned many crew members fail pre-sea medical examinations due to a combination of serious illnesses linked to obesity. “It could be argued that obesity alone is a pre-cursor to other more serious conditions if nothing is done to reduce body mass index (BMI) and improve lifestyle. A BMI of 25 or above can signify a serious weight problem. Poor eating habits and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle can also contribute to the development of many lifestyle diseases. Carrying excess weight not only causes a strain on the system but can also lead to other serious illness. It is within these illness groups that the UK P&I Club has seen the largest growth in crew medical failures,” she said.