Two thirds of New Zealand’s dairy farmers are at risk of heart disease, fifty percent have high cholesterol, eighty per cent don’t wear bike helmets on the farm, and thirty per cent have suffer pain that interferes with work or sleep.

On the other hand fewer than ten per cent are smokers, and most farmers use sunscreen or wear a sun hat.

These are some of the findings by the New Zealand Institute of Rural Health, which has just completed its first year of an eight year programme to identify the main health issue of dairy farmers.

During the year nearly 800 farmers had health checks at DairyNZ sponsored health pit-stops, set up at industry events around the country.