Relationship between domain-specific physical activity and different body composition measures in a working...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Sports Science
• Human Physiology

Background:

• The global overweight epidemic necessitates understanding lifestyle factors influencing body composition.
• Domain-specific physical activity patterns require investigation within occupational settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between different types of physical activity and body composition in Swiss male employees.
• To identify which physical activity domains are most beneficial for maintaining a healthy body composition.

Main Methods:

• 192 healthy, full-time employed Swiss males participated.
• Body composition assessed via height, weight, BMI, relative fat mass, and relative muscle mass (bioelectric impedance analysis).
• Physical activity measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Leisure-time physical activity was inversely associated with waist circumference and relative fat mass.
• Leisure-time activity positively correlated with relative muscle mass.
• Work-related physical activity showed a positive association with waist circumference and BMI.

Conclusions:

• Leisure-time physical activity is a significant factor for improving body composition in this population.
• Occupational physical activity may not provide protective benefits against overweight and could potentially be detrimental to body composition.