A study has found that Irish farmers are seven times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than other people.
In addition, the research carried out by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, found around 50 per cent of farmers suffer from elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Despite the study finding farmers are quite fit overall and completing large quantities of physical activity it does not follow advice to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Irish farmers in the midwest complete an average 16,452 steps and 124 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day, although mostly in bouts of less than 10 minutes.
However, current health advice recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, per week. In order to be effective, physical activity should take place in sustained periods of more than 10 minutes.
Chair of the Chartered Physiotherapists in Cardiac Services (CPCS) Denise Dunne, said farmers need to exercise at a level that challenges the heart by making them out of breath, hot and sweaty.
LSL News.