The relationship between occupational physical activity and self-reported vs measured total physical activity

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Occupational Health
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Many U.S. adults do not meet recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines.
• Population studies often focus on leisure-time PA, neglecting occupational activity (OA) as a distinct factor.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between occupational activity (OA) levels and meeting total PA guidelines.
• To compare self-reported PA with accelerometer-measured PA in relation to OA.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2014-2016 Survey of Health of Wisconsin (SHOW).
• Categorized 822 employed participants into OA level categories.
• Employed bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses to assess predictors and associations between OA and PA guideline adherence, using both self-report and accelerometer data.

Main Results:

• Individuals in high OA jobs were more likely to be male, smokers, and have lower education.
• Self-reported data indicated 89% of those in high OA jobs met PA guidelines versus 78% (medium OA) and 76% (low OA).
• Adjusted odds of meeting PA guidelines were higher for low OA compared to high OA when self-reported (OR=2.40), but this trend disappeared with accelerometer data (OR=1.00).

Conclusions:

• The correlation between occupational activity (OA) levels and overall physical activity (PA) adherence differs based on measurement method (self-report vs. accelerometer).
• Further research is necessary to refine PA measurements within specific domains like OA.
• Investigating the interplay between OA, leisure-time PA, and health outcomes is crucial.