I'm a trucker and with many jobs I think a lot of it just comes down to what people make of it. For example, even with the nice air supported seats we have, you're still in a truck for multiple hours a day bouncing around on roads, which can wreak havoc on your lower back. As someone who already had some lower back issues from my time in the military, I just make sure to set aside a little time for core exercises and stretching.

The sad reality is that a lot of truckers who attain that pristine stereotypical trucker body would probably end up that way whether they were behind the wheel or a keyboard or a cash register. Bad dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle ultimately going to result in unhealthy over weight bodies regardless of what you do.

I do sometimes worry about the fumes we're exposed to, but try my best to avoid them. Exhaust and diesel fumes are just something you're going to be exposed to no matter how hard you try, but stuff like turning off the truck when I'm hooking/unhooking, or standing upwind when fueling helps a little I suppose.

The thing I worry most about is accidental injuries though. There are a lot of ways to get hurt when you're working in such close proximity to large and heavy machinery. Even just working out in the elements can be rough. I've probably ate shit on ice while hooking/unhooking couple times already this winter.

That said, if you get into the right sector of trucking the pay for the amount of work you actually do is hard to beat. I make high 5 figures in a fairly low cost of living area, and 90% of my day consists of getting on the interstate, setting the cruise control, and vegging out while listening to audiobooks and podcasts. Last year I probably burned through 30 or 40 books and countless hours of podcasts. It really is a super easy and fairly well paying job if you don't mind driving.