Leisure time physical activity and sickness absenteeism; a prospective study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Sports Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Sickness absence represents a significant cost to businesses and impacts employee well-being.
• The relationship between leisure time physical activity and sickness absence requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if frequent leisure time physical activity reduces the risk of sickness absence in workers.
• To compare sickness absence rates between physically active and inactive workers.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 8902 workers was followed for 18 months.
• Sickness absence data were collected through self-reporting and company records.
• Leisure time physical activity frequency was assessed at baseline.

Main Results:

• Workers engaging in physical activity at least twice weekly had significantly lower sickness absence (14.8 days/year) compared to inactive workers (19.5 days/year).
• The reduction in absence was primarily attributed to fewer sick days for musculoskeletal disorders.

Conclusions:

• Promoting leisure time physical activity may decrease overall sickness absence and associated costs.
• Policies that penalize employees for sports-related injuries could be counterproductive to reducing absenteeism.