Background: Physical activity (PA) is promoted for its benefits on weight management and health. Given many adults are time-poor, occupational PA has been given the same priority as leisure-time PA in public health initiatives. However, it is not known if occupational PA confers the same health benefits as leisure-time PA. This study examined the associations between leisure-time PA, occupational PA and health in a large, variably active population group.
Methods: Nurses working in NSW (n=4343) were surveyed for physical activity, which was categorised, based on meeting/not meeting leisure-time PA guidelines, and assessment of daily occupational (work) PA, into: High Leisure, High Work activity (HLHW), High Leisure, Low Work activity (HLLW), Low Leisure, High Work activity (LLHW), and Low Leisure, Low Work activity (LLLW). PA categories were analysed against health (self-rated, ≥3 sick days) using multiple regression.
Results: Participants’ mean age was 47.9±11.4 years; 88.5% were female. Most participants did not meet leisure-time PA guidelines regardless of their occupational PA level: HLHW (10.3%), HLLW (9.6%), LLHW (39.9%), and LLLW (40.2%). Mean±SD body mass index (BMI) was HLHW: 25.8±4.9, HLLW: 26.1±5.2, LLHW: 27.8±6.2, LLLW: 28.8±6.6 kg/m2 respectively (ANOVA p<0.001).
Clear patterns of association were evident for context of PA and health. High leisure-time PA was independently associated with better self-rated health (β=0.44; 95%CI 0.37, 0.50) and fewer sick days (β=0.78, 95%CI 0.67, 0.92); whereas high work PA was associated with more sick days (β=1.19, 95%CI 1.03, 1.37), after adjusting for age, gender, BMI, carer status, work hours, shift work and chronic disease.
Conclusion: Occupational PA may not confer the same health benefits as leisure-time PA, and may actually have negative effects on health in some occupations. Strategies are needed that promote and reinforce engagement in leisure-time physical activity for health, independent of any occupational physical activity.