Lifestyle of truck drivers: a scoping review
Keywords:
life style, truck drivers, scoping reviewAbstract
Truck drivers face working conditions that negatively affect their lifestyle and health. This scoping review aimed to analyze what is known in the global scientific literature about the lifestyle of these workers. A search was conducted in the PubMed, Scielo, Scopus databases and Google Scholar, including original studies published between 2010 and 2025. Of the 183 articles identified, 34 were included. The results were organized into six lifestyle pillars: diet, physical activity, sleep, stress management, psychoactive substance use, and social relationships. The findings show that the profession promotes poor eating habits, physical inactivity, sleep disorders, substance use, and social isolation. The review highlights the need for qualitative studies and integrated approaches among the pillars, pointing to significant gaps for future research.
References
ABREU, Ângela Maria Mendes et al. Factors associated with psychoactive substance use among professional truck drivers. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, v. 75, n. Suppl 3, p. e20210187, 2022.
ANDO, Tomoka et al. The Relationship between Insomnia and Lifestyle-Related Diseases among Japanese Male Truck Drivers. The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine, v. 261, n. 1, p. 1-11, 2023.
AOKI, Ryoya et al. How many truck drivers have sleep disorders? Investigation of the effects of lifestyle and stress on insomnia among Japanese male truck drivers. Journal of Occupational Health, v. 67, n. 1, p. uiaf012, 2025.
ARGEL, Mariana et al. Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in truck drivers. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, v. 28, p. 1863-1872, 2023.
BACHMANN, Laura H. et al. Health risks of American long-distance truckers: results from a multisite assessment. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, v. 60, n. 7, p. e349-e355, 2018.
BATISTA, Adriana Maria Figuerêdo et al. Condições de trabalho de caminhoneiros: percepções sobre a saúde e autocuidado. Physis: Revista de Saúde Coletiva, v. 31, p. e310206, 2021.
BOEIJINGA, Anniek; HOEKEN, Hans; SANDERS, José. Health promotion in the trucking setting: Understanding Dutch truck drivers’ road to healthy lifestyle changes. Work, v. 55, n. 2, p. 385-397, 2016.
CHANG, Ssu-Lan et al. Quasi-experimental design for using an interactive social media intervention program to improve truck drivers’ health beliefs and eating behaviors. BMC Public Health, v. 22, n. 1, p. 1486, 2022.
CODARIN, Maria Alice Franzini et al. Associação entre prática de atividade física, escolaridade e perfil alimentar de motoristas de caminhão. Saúde e Sociedade, v. 19, p. 418-428, 2010.
COSTA, Rafaela Maria Figueiredo da et al. Associação entre horas de trabalho e de descanso e o uso de substâncias psicoativas entre motoristas profissionais de caminhão. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria, v. 70, p. 321-324, 2021.
DOWNES, Loureen; TRYON, Lilly. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for Advanced Practice: Integrating Evidence-Based Lifestyle Concepts. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2020.
FERNANDES, Inaina Lara et al. Epidemiology of tobacco use and nicotine dependence in truck drivers. Revista de Saúde Pública, v. 56, p. 108, 2023.
GARCÍA-PERALES, Laura Alicia et al. Relación de fatiga y consumo de alcohol en conductores de carga pesada. Sanus, v. 8, 2023.
GE, Yan et al. Effects of dietary patterns on driving behaviours among professional truck drivers: the mediating effect of fatigue. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, v. 78, n. 9, p. 669-675, 2021.
GILSON, Nicholas D. et al. VO2peak and 24‐hour sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity in Australian truck drivers. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, v. 31, n. 7, p. 1574-1578, 2021.
GIROTTO, Edmarlon et al. Comportamentos alimentares de risco à saúde e fatores associados entre motoristas de caminhão. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, v. 25, n. 3, p. 1011-1023, 2020.
GUEST, Amber J. et al. The structured health intervention for truckers (SHIFT) cluster randomised controlled trial: A mixed methods process evaluation. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, v. 19, n. 1, p. 79, 2022.
HAMILTON, Kyra; HAGGER, Martin S. Effects of self-efficacy on healthy eating depends on normative support: a prospective study of long-haul truck drivers. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, v. 25, p. 265-270, 2018.
KNAUTH, Daniela Riva et al. Manter-se acordado: a vulnerabilidade dos caminhoneiros no Rio Grande do Sul. Revista de Saúde Pública, v. 46, p. 886-893, 2012.
LEOPOLDO, Kae; LEYTON, Vilma; OLIVEIRA, Lucio Garcia de. Uso exclusivo de álcool e em associação a outras drogas entre motoristas de caminhão que trafegam por rodovias do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil: um estudo transversal. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, v. 31, p. 1916-1928, 2015.
LÓPEZ GONZÁLEZ, Ángel Arturo et al. Valoración del riesgo cardiovascular en varones conductores profesionales del área mediterránea española y variables asociadas. Ciencia & Trabajo, v. 20, n. 61, p. 1-6, 2018.
MARQUEZE, Elaine Cristina; ULHÔA, Melissa Araújo; MORENO, Claudia Roberta de Castro. Effects of irregular-shift work and physical activity on cardiovascular risk factors in truck drivers. Revista de Saúde Publica, v. 47, p. 497-505, 2013.
MARTINS, Andressa J.; MARTINI, Lígia A.; MORENO, Claudia RC. Prudent diet is associated with low sleepiness among short-haul truck drivers. Nutrition, v. 63, p. 61-68, 2019.
MULLINS, Iris L.; O’DAY, Trish; KAN, Tsz Yin. Validation of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II for Hispanic male truck drivers in the Southwest. Clinical Nursing Research, v. 22, n. 3, p. 375-394, 2013.
OKORIE, Onwuka et al. Relationships between poor health and calories from fat among commercial truck drivers. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, v. 61, n. 11, p. 944-948, 2019.
OLIVEIRA, Lúcio Garcia de et al. A continuidade do uso de anfetaminas por motoristas de caminhão no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, a despeito da proibição de sua produção, prescrição e uso. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, v. 29, p. 1903-1909, 2013.
OLIVEIRA, Lúcio Garcia de et al. Occupational conditions and the risk of the use of amphetamines by truck drivers. Revista de Saúde Pública, v. 49, p. 61, 2015.
ORTEGA-MORALES, Katherinne et al. Patologías prevalentes que afectan la salud de camioneros pertenecientes a una empresa chilena. Medicina y Seguridad del Trabajo, v. 69, n. 271, p. 68-76, 2023.
PUHKALA, Jatta et al. Lifestyle counseling in overweight truck and bus drivers-Effects on dietary patterns and physical activity. Preventive Medicine Reports, v. 4, p. 435-440, 2016.
RIVA, Matteo Marco et al. Occupational health and safety of road haulage company employees. La Medicina del Lavoro, v. 109, n. 3, p. 180, 2018.
SAYYAH, Mohsen et al. The effects of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Fur-lough) on lifestyle health-related behaviours and mental health symptoms in a sample of UK-based truck drivers. 2021.
SIEBER, W. Karl et al. Obesity and other risk factors: the national survey of US long‐haul truck driver health and injury. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, v. 57, n. 6, p. 615-626, 2014.
SNYDER, Pamela et al. Program evaluation of Fit to Pass®, a remotely accessible health promotion program for commercial motor vehicle truck drivers. Workplace Health & Safety, v. 72, n. 1, p. 6-12, 2024.
TAKITANE, Juliana et al. Uso de anfetaminas por motoristas de caminhão em rodovias do Estado de São Paulo: um risco à ocorrência de acidentes de trânsito? Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, v. 18, p. 1247-1254, 2013.
ULHÔA, Melissa Araújo et al. Distúrbios psíquicos menores e condições de trabalho em motoristas de caminhão. Revista de Saúde Pública, v. 44, p. 1130-1136, 2010.
VAN VREDEN, Caryn et al. The physical and mental health of Australian truck drivers: a national cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, v. 22, n. 1, p. 464, 2022.
YOSEF, Tewodros et al. The Burden of Overweight and Obesity among Long‐Distance Truckers in Ethiopia. Journal of Obesity, v. 2020, n. 1, p. 4242789, 2020.
ZAMORA MACORRA, Mireya; CRUZ FLORES, Adriana Cecilia. El papel del tiempo libre en la salud de un grupo de conductores de carga. Salud de los Trabajadores, v. 19, n. 1, p. 47-56, 2011.
