Does physical activity have an impact on sickness absence? A review

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Sickness absence presents a significant public health challenge with substantial economic consequences.
• Physical activity positively impacts physical health, mental well-being, and work-related outcomes, including reduced sickness absence.
• Interventions promoting physical activity may offer benefits in preventing long-term employee sickness absence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing evidence on the relationship between physical activity and sickness absence among employees.
• To identify the effectiveness of physical activity interventions in reducing sickness absence.
• To highlight methodological limitations in current research.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (Web of Science, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, Google Scholar) and reference lists.
• Included studies published between 1981 and 2012, encompassing both intervention and observational designs involving employees.
• A total of 37 studies met the inclusion criteria for the review.

Main Results:

• The reviewed evidence suggests a potential for physical activity to reduce sickness absence.
• Methodological concerns were identified, including insufficient detail in intervention program descriptions and reliance on self-reported physical activity in observational studies.
• The overall quality of many studies was low, limiting the strength of the conclusions.

Conclusions:

• While evidence suggests physical activity may reduce sickness absence, current support is limited due to the low quality of many studies.
• Future research should prioritize detailed descriptions of physical activity programs.
• The use of objective physical activity measures, such as accelerometers and fitness tests, is recommended for future studies.