Findings published today from the ‘Farmers Have Hearts’ initiative, led by the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) and supported by the Health Service Executive (HSE), revealed that 86% of farmers were identified as being obese, the most prevalent risk identified for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moreover, 82% of Irish farmers had a family history of heart disease and stroke, a key risk for CVD.

The research, statistically compiled by the Carlow Institute of Technology, also found that almost half of farmers (46%) had high blood pressure and raised total cholesterol levels (46.1%).

'Farmers Have Hearts' is an initiative that provides one-to-one health checks to farmers in marts across the country. The health checks, which are undertaken by IHF nurses and provided free of charge to farmers, measure blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose body mass index and waist circumference.

According to Maureen Mulvihill, Head of Health Promotion at the IHF, "These extremely high levels of risk factors demonstrate why farmers are at such risk of heart disease and stroke. Not surprisingly most of the farmers were advised to see their GP by our health check nurses. After 12 weeks it was encouraging to see almost a third had followed up with their doctor but we need all farmers, advised to see their GP, to do so.”

Ms Mulvihill added that the high level of CVD risk factors among farmers is related to various factors such as "family history, the perception among farmers that their active and outdoor occupation is ‘healthier’ and the 24/7 work life limiting opportunity to get GP check-ups.“

Cate Hartigan, Head of Health Promotion and Improvement with the HSE, added that given 8 out of 10 farmers who took part in the programme were advised to follow up with their GP, "we need to get the message out to all farmers that they need to make time to have a regular check-up with their GP. It’s 20 minutes that could save their life.”

Other self-reported findings from the initiative reveal that the majority of farmers (64.2%) reported experiencing stress ‘sometimes’ and, of those, 16.2% reported feeling stressed ‘most of the time’.

Moreover, one third of participating farmers (35.5%) reported not being physically active for 5 days or more a week and nearly 42% said they would not have had a health check if not for 'Farmers Have Hearts' programme.

Concluding, Noel Richardson, National Men’s Health Advisor at the HSE said there should be an increased focus on the workplace, such as the mart or a farming event, as an ideal and effective setting in which to engage farmers in health promotion and preventive health interventions.

"Targeted health promotion activities, such as the 'Farmers Have Hearts' programme, contribute to farmers being more proactive about their health, specifically in terms of follow-up use of GP services and making certain lifestyle behaviour change,” he said.