Study Into Weight and Healthcare Requires Input from Divers

DIVE Report

Body weight has been in the news a great deal of late, particularly since obesity is one of the most critical risk factors for complications caused by Covid-19. The health conditions associated with being overweight and scuba diving are also of great concern, particularly with regards to how poor diet and lack of exercise can contribute to high blood pressure, which can be fatal to divers if left unchecked.

DDRC Healthcare has been collecting data on weight trends in divers since 1990, when its first anonymous study found that 34 per cent of divers were either overweight or obese. Almost three decades later, a 2019 survey found that a staggering 69 per cent of divers were either overweight or obese, a reflection of the UK's national trend.

The survey is completely anonymous and takes just a few minutes to complete, with questions about height, weight, exercise habits and medical conditions. Divers of all shapes and sizes, from those who might be overweight to those in perfect health, are asked to participate.

Take the DDRC survey at
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DDRCweight

For more information about the DDRC and the important work they undertake for diving medicine, visit www.ddrc.org