Job stress and healthy behavior among male Japanese office workers
Kyoko Nomura1, Mutsuhiro Nakao, Shinobu Tsurugano
1Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. kyoko@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp
Background:
Lifestyle modification in healthy workers is challenging. We aim to investigate associations between job stress and healthy behavior change among workers.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study investigated 1,183 Japanese male white-collar workers in 2008 during health checkups for Metabolic Syndrome. Healthy behavior included either a calorie-focused diet or regular exercise. Job stress was measured by Job Content Questionnaire based on the job demands-control model and tension-anxiety and anger-hostility scales on the Profile of Mood States.
Results:
Healthy behaviors were confirmed in 54% of study subjects. Multivariate logistic model showed that healthy behaviors were positively associated with a higher degree of work control and negatively associated with greater work demand. Work control and support were negatively correlated with tension-anxiety and depression, whereas work demand and strain were positively correlated with these two emotion domains (all P's < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
It is suggested that addressing job stress is of clinical importance to promote healthy behaviors.
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