Describing the relationship between occupational and non-occupational physical activity using objective measurement

Objective: Physical inactivity is a major health risk for working adults, yet the interplay between physical activity levels in work and non-work settings is not well understood. The association between occupational physical activity (OPA) and non-occupational physical activity (non-OPA), and associations by sex, were examined in a group of 233 working adults in the Minneapolis, MN metro area between 2010 and 2012.

Methods: Accelerometry-measured activity was split into OPA and non-OPA via participant-reported typical work start and end times. Regression models were used to estimate associations.

Results: Average weekly OPA was positively associated with non-OPA (B=0.18, 95% CI: 0.08-0.28) and associations were stronger among women than men (B_interaction = -0.39, 95% CI: -0.61 to -0.17).

Conclusions: Results suggest that individuals with less physical activity during work also have less physical activity outside of work. Understanding the complexities of the OPA/non-OPA relationship will enable researchers to explore the underlying mechanisms.