Was the increased death rate due to firefighters having a higher rate of heart disease than people do in other jobs? An analysis of eating habits may reveal more insight.
Jim Schmitz St. Louis, Mo.
The study looked only at what the firefighters were doing at the time of death. It didn’t compare their heart-disease rates with those in other groups. However, the study authors suggest that the work life of firefighters, which includes significant downtime interspersed with extreme exertion, may contribute to heart disease.
—B. Vastag
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