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Kaleta D, Makowiec-Dąbrowska T, Jegier A. Leisure-time physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and work ability: a study in randomly selected residents of Lodz.Int J Occup Med Environ Health 17(4):457-64

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Low physical activity is a serious health problem in developed and developing countries. Much attention is also given to the role of physical activity in the modification of work ability in adults. The aim of this studywas to assess leisure-time physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and their influence on the subjective work ability in a randomly selected group of professionally active residents of Lódź. The study was performed in the randomly selected group of professionally active persons (n = 198). Physical activity was determined by means of the Seven Day Physical Activity Recall (SDPAR). To determine cardiorespiratory fitness in the examined persons, the submaximal treadmill test was performed. Subjective work ability was evaluated using the work ability index (WAI). Correlation coefficient for the WAI and leisure-time physical activity was high r = 0.3, p < 0.0001. Moreover, WAI, its compounds and cardiorespiratory fitness were highly correlated r = 0.4, p < 0.0001. Our analysis of leisure-time physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and WAI emphasizes a great, potential feasibility of improving the WAI and its components, e.g., through the development, promotion, and broad use of training schedules.
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IJOMEH 2004; 17(4) 457
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 2004; 17(4): 457 464
LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY,
CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS AND WORK
ABILITY: A STUDY IN RANDOMLY SELECTED
RESIDENTS OF ŁÓDŹ
DOROTA KALETA
1
, TERESA MAKOWIEC-DĄBROWSKA
2
, and ANNA JEGIER
3
1
Department of Preventive Medicine
Medical University of Łódź, Poland
2
Department of Work Physiology and Ergonomics
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine Łódź, Poland
3
Department of Sports Medicine
Medical University of Łódź, Poland
Abstract
Objectives: Low physical activity is a serious health problem in developed and developing countries. Much attention is also
given to the role of physical activity in the modification of work ability in adults. The aim of this study was to assess leisure-time
physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and their influence on the subjective work ability in a randomly selected group of
professionally active residents of Łódź. Materials and Methods: The study was performed in the randomly selected group of
professionally active persons (n = 198). Physical activity was determined by means of the Seven Day Physical Activity Recall
(SDPAR). To determine cardiorespiratory fitness in the examined persons, the submaximal treadmill test was performed.
Subjective work ability was evaluated using the work ability index (WAI). Results: Correlation coefficient for the WAI and
leisure-time physical activity was high r = 0.3, p < 0.0001. Moreover, WAI, its compounds and cardiorespiratory fitness
were highly correlated r = 0.4, p < 0.0001. Conclusions: Our analysis of leisure-time physical activity, cardiorespiratory
fitness and WAI emphasizes a great, potential feasibility of improving the WAI and its components, e.g., through the
development, promotion, and broad use of training schedules.
Key words:
Physical activity, Cardiorespiratory fitness, Work ability index
Received: September 30. Accepted: October 30, 2004.
Address reprint requests to D. Kaleta MD, Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical University of Łódź, pl. Hallera 1, 90-647 Łódź, Poland.
INTRODUCTION
Low physical activity is a serious health problem in devel-
oped and developing countries [1]. Numerous studies re-
veal that physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness can
significantly diminish the risk of cardiovascular diseases,
obesity, diabetes and some neoplastic growths. The re-
cently conducted studies have corroborated the influence
of being fit on the prevention of cardiovascular and other
chronic diseases [2,3]. Leisure-time physical activity is ben-
eficial to health. However, it should be emphasized that
only a meticulously planned schedule of physical activities
can assure tangible advantages resulting from physical
fitness. To promote health and prevent chronic diseases
moderate intensity training (60% of max heart rate, HR)
at least 3 times a week for 40 min is recommended. Ex-
ORIGINAL PAPERS
IJOMEH 2004; 17(4)458
penditure of energy on physical exertion should be higher
than 1000 kcal/week and optimally 2000 kcal/week [4].
Much attention is also given to the role of physical ac-
tivity in the modification of work ability in adults [5–9].
Work ability is a compound feature and its level reflects
the interactions between occupational requirements (the
volume of both physical and mental activities and func-
tional capabilities of workers), their health and subjective
assessment of their status in the given organizational and
social conditions.
Work ability can be objectively assessed on the basis of
the functional status of a given employee and his or her
skills and capabilities. Subjective assessment performed by
the examined person can be used for work ability analysis.
This method is quite cheap, relatively not very complicat-
ed, which can be of some importance when conducting re-
search on large populations. One of the tools used for sub-
jective assessment of work ability is the work ability index
(WAI). WAI was developed at the beginning of the 1990s
by a specialist of the Institute of Occupational Health in
Helsinki [10]. WAI was subsequently used to analyze dif-
ferences between work abilities, depending on their type,
volume and workload. WAI was also used in prospective
studies of age-related fluctuations in work ability. The
work ability index has been used and checked many times
all over the world, including Poland [11,12].
The aim of this study was to assess leisure-time physical
activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and their influence on
the subjective work ability in a group of randomly selected
working residents of Łódź.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was performed in the randomly selected group
of professionally active persons. The selection was made
by the Local Data Base in Łódź, which rendered the data
available together with the proportional draw scheme.
As an operator the personal identification number (PE-
SEL) was used. Of the directly drawn 2000 persons, 1029
completed the questionnaire assessing physical activity.
Subsequently, 825 individuals were systematically drawn
and invited to take the treadmill test. Of this group, 317
persons reported and entered the study (attendance rate,
38%). Finally, 271 subjects (including 198 professionally
active persons) were qualified for the treadmill test after
physical examination performed by physicians. The study
group composed of persons in good health, confirmed by
the physical examination and treadmill test, comprised
103 males (mean age, 42.9 ± 11.2 years) and 95 females
(mean age, 42 ± 11.5 years).
Physical activity was determined by means of the Seven
Day Physical Activity Recall (SDPAR) [13,14]. Informa-
tion was obtained during an interview conducted by ade-
quately trained interviewers. The questionnaire permitted
the collection of data concerning the frequency, intensity
and length of both occupational and leisure-time physi-
cal activity 7 days prior to the examination. SDPAR also
permitted the collection of data on the number of hours of
physical activity with low (1.5 METs – metabolic equiva-
lents), moderate (4 METs), high (6 METs) and very high
(10 METs) intensity. SDPAR also included energy expen-
diture during sleep (1MET). Taking into consideration
all the data, daily or weekly energy expenditure could be
calculated (kcal/day, kcal/week) [15]. To determine car-
diorespiratory fitness in the examined persons the sub-
maximal treadmill test was performed. It was an essential
prerequisite for the determination of peak oxygen uptake
VO
2max
(ml • kg
-1
• min
-1
) calculated indirectly according
to Astrand-Ryhming. The treadmill test was instituted af-
ter an appropriate qualification, including physical exami-
nation and electrocardiogram at rest.
Subjective work ability was evaluated using the work ability
index, a score composed of different items. Each of those
items was determined according to different scales arranged
in order of importance. Current work ability compared with
the lifetime best was assessed from 0 to 10 points; work abil-
ity in relation to the demands of the job from 2 to 10 points;
the number of current diseases diagnosed by a physician
from 1 to 7 points; and estimated work ability impairment
due to diseases from 1 to 6 points. Sick leave during past
12 months, self-estimated prognosis of work ability for two
years on, and mental resources to work were determined
from 1 to 5, 1, 4 or 7 and from 1 to 4 points, respectively.
In each case the highest score was attributed to the most
ORIGINAL PAPERS D. KALETA, ET AL.
IJOMEH 2004; 17(4) 459
favorable conditions, e.g. a lack of disease and sick leave,
the highest capabilities. The work ability index is calculated
by summing the estimated points for each item. The high-
est WAI reflects the best workers perception of his or her
work ability. The range of the index is from 7 to 49 points.
According to the classification worked out by the authors,
four categories of work ability assessment could be distin-
guished: poor (WAI up to 27 points), moderate (WAI from
28 to 36 points), good (WAI from 37 to 43 points), or excel-
lent (WAI from 44 to 49 points).
Statistical analysis
Chi-square test, Student’s test (for normal distributions)
and non-parametric Mann-Whitney test (for other distri-
butions) was used for analyzing the difference between
groups. The relations between work ability and maximal
oxygen consumption and leisure time physical activity
were analyzed using Spearman rank correlation. A level
of statistical significance was established at a value of p =
0.05. The statistical analysis was performed with the use of
STATGRAPHICS 5.0.
RESULTS
In the study group, we did not note any age-related signifi-
cant differences between men and women (42.9 ± 11.2 vs.
42 ± 11.5 years of age). Table 1 summarizes the charac-
teristics of the study population taking into consideration
age, anthropometric indicators, educational level, marital
status, and job characteristic.
In the study group, total weekly energy expenditure on
leisure-time physical activity accounted approximately for
270 ± 520 kcal/week, and time spent on this activity was
1.4 ± 2.3 h/week, including low, moderate and high inten-
sity (0.7 ± 1.4, 0.7 ± 1.6 and 0.02 ± 0.2 h/weekly, respec-
tively). More than half of the population (53.5%) did not
take part in any kind of sports or recreation. In the rest of
the group the following values of energy spent on physical
activity were obtained: 28.3% – 1 to 499 kcal/week; 8.1%
– 500 to 999 kcal/week; 8.1% – 1000 to 1999 kcal/week;
and 2% – 2000 kcal/week or more (Fig. 1).
Participation in leisure-time physical activity to some extent
depended on the type of work and its load. In male white-
collar employees 67% (n = 32), in blue-collar workers 29%
Table 1. Characteristics of study population
Characteristics
Men
(n = 103)
Women
(n = 95)
P
Men vs. women
Mean SD Mean SD
Age (years) 42.9 11.2 42.1 11.5 p > 0.05
Hight (cm) 176.4 6.3 161.4 5.2 p < 0.001
Weight (kg) 81.9 10.8 62.1 10.6 p < 0.001
Body mass index – BMI (kg/m
2
) 26.3 3.4 23.8 3.7 p < 0.001
n%n%
Education level
Primary 17 16.5 14 14.7 p > 0.05
Secondary 44 42.7 52 54.7 p > 0.05
University 42 40.8 29 30.5 p > 0.05
Marital status
Married 69 67 58 61.1 p > 0.05
Not married 34 33.0 37 35.9 p > 0.05
Job characteristic
Mental work 48 46.6 57 60 p > 0.05
Physical work 28 27.2 21 22.1 p > 0.05
Mixed physical and mental work 27 26.2 17 17.9 p > 0.05
p < 0.01 men vs. women
LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS AND WORK ABILITY ORIGINAL PAPERS
IJOMEH 2004; 17(4)460
(n = 8) and in the group with mixed activity 30% (n =
8) declared participation in leisure-time physical activity.
In male white-collar employees, weekly energy expendi-
ture was the highest 952 ± 853 kcal/week, in blue-collar
workers the lowest – 142 ± 186 kcal/week and in man with
mixed professional activity – 833 ± 508 kcal/week. In fe-
male white-collar workers – 32 (56%), in blue-collar work-
ers – only 4 (19%) and in the group with mixed activity 8
(47%) persons participated in leisure time physical activity.
In women, type of the work did not influence the level of
leisure-time physical activity. In female white-collar work-
ers this expenditure accounted for 484 ± 538 kcal/week, in
blue-collar workers – 245 ± 183 kcal/week and in the group
with mixed activity was 295 ± 171 kcal/week.
Energy expenditure on leisure-time physical activity dimin-
ished gradually with increasing workload. It was described
as a percentage of VO
2max
after calculation of energy expen-
diture at work and oxygen uptake, taking account of resting
metabolism (1 MET). In the study group the workload was
not very high because only 15 men and 8 women exceeded
30% of VO
2max
, which means that they worked hard. In the
male group with the workload up to 15% of VO
2max
(n =
32), 15–30% of VO
2max
(n = 13), and > 30% of VO
2max
(n
= 3) weekly energy expenditure on leisure-time physical
activity amounted to 1017 ± 831 kcal, 420 ± 458 kcal and
90 ± 38 kcal, respectively. In the female group these values
were at the levels of 489 ± 535 kcal (n = 31), 260 ± 251
(n = 22) and 321 kcal (n = 1), respectively.
Mean values of maximum oxygen uptake, VO
2max
(l
• min
-1
)
were 2.8 ± 0.6 in men (n = 103) and 2.1 ± 0.6 in women
(n = 95; p < 0.001). Mean relative values of VO
2max
(ml •
kg
-1
• min
-1
) amounted to 35.2 ± 7.8 in men and 35 ± 11.1
in women (p > 0.005).
In the whole study group, WAI was 41.4 ± 5.9 and did
not significantly differ between men and women. To-
Fig. 1. Weekly energy expenditure (kcal/week) on leisure time physical
activity among men and women.
Fig. 2. Relationship between the work ability categories and participa-
tion in leisure-time physical activity.
Table 2. The work ablity index (WAI) and its item values in men and
women
Items of work ability index
Men
(n = 103)
Women
(n = 95)
P
Men vs.
Women
Mean SD Mean SD
Work ability compared with
the lifetime best
8.3 1.5 7.9 1.1 p > 0.05
Work ability in relation
to take up physical activity
4.3 0.8 4.2 0.0 p > 0.05
Work ability to mental effort 4.6 0.6 4.4 1.9 p < 0.05
Work ability to adjust
to professional requirements
8.8 1.3 8.5 1.0 p > 0.05
The number of current diseases
diagnosed by a physician
5.5 0.8 5.2 1.9 p = 0.05
Sick leave during the past year 4.0 1.0 4.0 0.1 p > 0.05
Estimated work impairment
due to disease
6.5 1.0 6.3 0.8 p < 0.05
Self-estimated prognosis
of work ability for two years on
6.3 0.9 5.8 2.0 p < 0.05
Mental resources 3.0 0.8 2.5 3.8 p < 0.0001
Work ability index 42.5 4.7 40.3 1.9 p > 0.05
ORIGINAL PAPERS D. KALETA, ET AL.
IJOMEH 2004; 17(4) 461
tally, 42.4% of the examined persons obtained excellent
and 38.9% – good assessment of the work ability index,
whereas moderate and poor assessments were achieved by
16.2% and 4.6% of the participants, respectively. It should
be emphasized that among persons who obtained poor
assessment of the WAI there were only women. Table 2
presents the WAI values in men and women.
To answer the question whether leisure-time physical ac-
tivity is associated with the level of work ability, the cor-
relations between the general WAI, its items and leisure-
time physical activity were calculated. Spearman rank cor-
relation coefficient was used. This analysis indicated that
correlations were positive and frequently high (Table 3).
Correlation coefficient for the WAI and leisure-time phys-
ical activity was r = 0.3, p < 0.0001. The level of leisure-
time physical activity had a significant impact on current
work ability compared with the lifetime best, work ability
to adjust to professional requirements, the number of cur-
rent diseases diagnosed by a physician, sick leaves during
the past year, and mental resources to work. Among per-
sons who declared participation in leisure-time physical
activity, the percentage of individuals with excellent work
ability was significantly higher as compared with persons
who did not take up any physical exercises (in the female
group it was 54.5% vs. 29.4 p = 0.04, in the male group
62.5% vs. 27.3%; p = 0.0007; Fig. 2).
The correlation between WAI, its items and cardiorespi-
ratory fitness was analyzed. It was noted that in the ex-
amined group these features were highly correlated. Cor-
relation coefficient of WAI and maximal oxygen uptake
(ml • kg
-1
• min
-1
) was r = 0.4, p < 0.0001 (Table 3).
The level of WAI in persons who took and did not take lei-
sure-time physical activity was analyzed in relation to the
type of workload (e.g., physical, mixed and mental). The
obtained results indicated that blue-collar workers mostly
benefited from participation in leisure-time physical activ-
ity (Fig. 3). The analyses of the level of WAI, depending
on the workload presented as the percentage of VO
2max
,
also confirmed the above-mentioned hypothesis (Fig. 4).
Similarly, in the previous analysis, individuals who worked
hard mostly benefited from leisure-time physical activity,
however, the differences were not statistically significant
due to the small number of participants. Moreover, among
women whose work was physically demanding, only one
Table 3. Statistically significant correlations between work ablity
index (WAI), its items and the level of leisure-time physical activity
(kcal/week) and maximal oxygen uptake VO
2max
(ml • kg
-1
• min
-1
)
Items of work ability
index
WAI and the leisure-
time physical activity
WAI and maximal
oxygen uptake
Men
(n = 103)
Women
(n = 95)
Men
(n = 103)
Women
(n = 95)
r
Spearman
r
Spearman
r
Spearman
r
Spearman
Work ability compared
with the lifetime best
0.199 0.291 0.318 0.482
Work ability in relation
to take up physical
activity
0.218 0.301 0.430
Work ability to mental
effort
0.214 0.157 0.248 0.300
Work ability to
adjust to professional
requirements
0.300 0.220 0.357 0.392
The number of current
diseases diagnosed by a
physician
0.254 0.228 0.237 0.317
Sick leave during the
past year
0.256 0.308 0.269
Estimated work
impairment due to
disease
0.222
Self-estimated
prognosis of work
ability for two years on
0.252 0.246 0.357
Mental resources
0.250 0.241 0.205 0.266
Work ability index
0.310 0.302 0.368 0.465
Fig. 3. WAI in persons who take and do not take up leisure-time
physical activity in relation to the type of workload: physical, mixed
(physical and mental), and mental.
LEISURE-TIME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS AND WORK ABILITY ORIGINAL PAPERS
IJOMEH 2004; 17(4)462
of them admitted having practiced leisure-time physical
activity.
Participation in leisure-time physical activity also de-
pended on the education level in the study participants
(Fig. 5).
A correlation between the general work ability index,
age, and body mass index was also analyzed. A negative
correlation between the age (r = -0.6, p < 0.0001), BMI
(r = -0.3, p < 0.0001), and the general WAI was con-
firmed.
A correlation between leisure-time physical activity and
cardiorespiratory fitness was also analyzed. Statistically sig-
nificant correlation between leisure-time physical activity
and cardiorespiratory fitness in men (r = 0.5, p < 0.0001)
and women (r = 0.4, p < 0.0001) was confirmed.
DISCUSSION
The SDPAR questionnaire and subsequent calculations of
energy expenditure in the study group were conducted in
accordance with the formula [13]. The calculated amount
of energy expenditure on leisure-time physical activity in
the study group of the residents of Łódź did not signifi-
cantly differ from the values expected in the properly de-
signed study. The level of leisure-time physical activity in
the examined group was significantly lower as compared
with the study conducted by Makowiec-Dabrowska et al.
[12]. In the presented study, 53.5% of participants did not
take part in any leisure-time physical activity compared
with 4% of individuals revealed in the aforesaid study [12].
In our study, 2% of persons expended 2000 kcal/week on
leisure-time physical activity versus 20.6% of individuals
examined by Makowiec-Dabrowska et al. [12]. The dif-
ference between characteristic features of the examined
groups, various tools and measurement methods used by
different authors could bring about a wide range of dis-
crepancies in the results obtained. In the described study
the level of physical activity was also lower than that re-
ported by Kaleta et al. [16]. It applied particularly to par-
ticipants with energy expenditure of 2000 kcal/week or
more. In the study conducted by Kaleta et al. [16], 15.4%
of participants (26.7% of males and 4% of females) ex-
pended 2000 kcal or more weekly on leisure-time physical
activity. However, it should be emphasized that in both
studies the groups were small and despite their random
selection none appeared to be a representative sample for
Łódź.
The mean WAI in the whole group was 41.4 ± 5.9 and
the percentage of participants with excellent work ability
amounted to 42.4%, which represented comparable val-
ues with those achieved by Ilmarinen [17] in workers from
western countries.
Apparently the level of leisure-time physical activity
shaped subjective work ability. The results of the present
study, like those of other studies revealed that subjective
assessment of work ability was highly correlated with the
level of physical activity of the examined individuals. More-
over, the results of the previous studies indicated that the
introduction of an adequately selected training schedule
improved both physical endurance and WAI [8,9].
Our research confirmed that among blue-collar workers,
especially those working hard, a certain reluctance to lei-
Fig. 4. WAI in persons who take and do not take up leisure-time
physical activity in relation to difficulty of work presented as the per-
centage of VO
2max
.
Fig. 5. Weekly energy expenditure (kcal/week) on leisure time physical
activity in men and women with different levels of education.
ORIGINAL PAPERS D. KALETA, ET AL.
IJOMEH 2004; 17(4) 463
sure-time physical activity was common. In 2004, Kaleta
et al. [18] revealed that 11.5% of the residents of Łódź
reported physical work as a major reason for not taking up
leisure-time physical activity. Our research confirmed that
the blue-collar workers mostly benefited from leisure-time
physical activity as compared with white-collar employees.
In fact, a statistically significant difference could be ob-
served only in men. There was also a significant differ-
ence between two groups (“yes” and “no”) of white-collar
employees, but the value was lower than that in blue-col-
lar workers (Fig. 4). These data emphasize the need for
focusing training schedules on blue-collar workers. It is
crucial, in view of numerous unquestionable advantages
of leisure-time physical activity among blue-collar workers
reported in the medical literature, manifested not only by
the increased subjective work ability but also by the de-
clined risk for cardiovascular diseases [19].
CONCLUSIONS
1. The results of the present study reveal that in approxi-
mately 78% of the study subjects, physical activity was
too low and did not reach the level recommended for the
prevention of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular
diseases.
2. Despite the fact that the presented study comprises a
small population (n = 198), the analysis of leisure-time
physical activity and the work ability index emphasize the
potential feasibility of improving the WAI and its items
e.g., through the development, promotion, and broad use
of training schedules. In the light of the previous studies,
much attention should be given to the rationally selected
type, volume and intensity of physical activity because
this schedule can greatly contribute to the improvement
of work ability through the increase in cardiorespiratory
fitness.
3. Preventive schedules focused on the improvement of
work ability through the increase in leisure-time physical
activity should be addressed to employees at large, and to
blue-collar workers, in particular.
4. In Poland and also in other member states of the Euro-
pean Union, workplace should play a significant role in the
promotion of leisure-time physical activity. It is manda-
tory to diminish social and economic consequences of low
physical activity in our country.
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ORIGINAL PAPERS D. KALETA, ET AL.
... Some studies report a strong association between self-rated health and socioeconomic level [25], where individuals with higher socioeconomic levels tend to report better selfrated health [8]. However, although some research findings indicate that self-rated health assessment decreases with a decreased income level, such an association is not always confirmed [18,26,27]. Other socially related factors include economic and social circumstances over the individual's life span, making the health of older people even more susceptible to social determination by the accumulation of exposures to risk factors [28]. ...
... The same pattern was observed for women, but it was not statistically significant. Meanwhile, a study by the University of Lodz noted that a sufficient level of leisure-time physical activity beneficially affects self-perception of health [27]. Research results, in general, have been consistent in indicating a strong association between lack of sport/physical activity and lower self-rated health [36]. ...
... Thus, results are consistent with the results of other studies [63,64]. However, the result is inconsistent with other international replications that did not confirm such association concerning older adults [18,26,27,56,64,65]. ...
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This study investigates the wellbeing factors related to self-rated health for older adults in Abu Dhabi (≥55 years). The purpose is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the determinants of self-rated health, considering various wellbeing factors, controlling for factors such as gender, nationality and long-standing illness if present. This research drew from a sample of 2375 older adults who participated in the Abu Dhabi Quality-of-Life Survey (QoL) conducted in 2018. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was employed where the first two models corresponded to gender, nationality and having a long-standing illness or not. The third model focused on the wellbeing factors of Abu Dhabi citizens (i.e., social networks and connection, income and housing, sports and activities, mental feelings). The analysis revealed the insignificance of gender and nationality as controlled variables while having a long-standing illness showed significant adverse effects. The most significant variables were social support networks, family and social arrangements and connections. Other variables of significance included housing satisfaction, household income satisfaction, frequency of practicing sports, current mental status and life satisfaction. Policymakers could use the outcomes as insider intelligence for policymakers and social work professionals to create policies, programs and services to enhance the lives of older people in Abu Dhabi.
... The association between physical fitness (PF) and perceived work ability have been investigated in a few previous studies with somewhat conflicting results. While majority of the observational studies have shown a positive relationship between MF, CRF (Kaleta et al. 2004;Kolu et al. 2022;Lebde et al. 2020;Marzuca-Nassr et al. 2021), balance (Holland et al. 2015;Lebde et al. 2020) and work ability, some studies have not found significant associations (Sörensen et al. 2008), or associations were only observed among the elderly (Baldwin et al. 2017;Suorsa et al. 2022). Moreover, most studies have focused on certain occupational groups and utilized heterogenous PF tests with insufficient reliability. ...
... In previous studies concerning the association between PF and perceived work ability, focus has mainly been on certain occupational (Ezzatvar et al. 2021;Sörensen et al. 2008) or age groups (Kaleta et al. 2004;Kolu et al. 2022;Padula et al. 2013;Smolander et al. 2010;Sörensen et al. 2007) and the range of used PF tests is broad, which weakens the generalizability of the results. This study strengthens the findings of previous literature by using a large random sample of Finnish population and widely used health-related fitness tests. ...
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Objective This cross-sectional study aims to examine association between different components of physical fitness and perceived work ability among working age population. Methods The population-based study sample included 2050 participants aged 18–74 from the Finnish national Health 2011 study. Physical fitness was assessed by the single leg stand test, the modified push-up test, the vertical jump test and the six-minute walk test, and perceived work ability was assessed via interview. Logistic regression was used for examining the associations between physical fitness and work ability. Results After adjusting for potential confounders (age, sex, marital status, educational level, work characteristics, total physical activity, daily smoking, BMI and number of diseases), odds ratios indicated that good work ability was more likely among those who had better balance in single leg stand test (OR = 1.54; 95% CI 1.07–2.24), and who belonged in the high fitness thirds in six-minute walking test (OR = 2.08; 95% CI 1.24–3.49) and in vertical jump test (OR = 2.51; 95% CI 1.23–5.12) compared to lowest third. Moreover, moderate (OR = 1.76; 95% CI 1.02–3.05) to high fitness (OR = 2.87; 95% CI 1.40–5.92) in modified push-up test increased the likelihood of good work ability compared to lowest third. Conclusion These study results indicate that good musculoskeletal as well as cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with better perceived work ability. Promoting physical fitness in individual and societal level may be potential targets for maintaining good work ability in working age population.
... During the COVID-19 pandemic, territorial army soldiers are trained in pre-emergency response to support hospitals, medical facilities, sanitation services, and non-governmental organizations. There have been a small numbers of studies focusing on physical activity among workers in the context of their perceived work ability [9,10,[13][14][15], and to the best of authors' knowledge, there has been a lack of these studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. There has IJOMEH 2022;35(3) 329 mined according to different scales arranged in order of importance. ...
... According to the classification for work ability assessment, the following WAI can be distinguished: poor (sum of all items values up to 27 pts), moderate (28-36 pts), good (37-43 pts), and excellent (44-49 pts). The WAI has been used and checked many times in cross-sectional and prospective studies throughout the world [8,[13][14][15]22]. Body height and mass were given by the participants, and BMI was calculated for each study participant. ...
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Objectives: Physical activity (PA) is important for the prevention and management of numerous diseases and may have a positive effect on ability to work. The study aimed to assess the level of occupational and leisure time PA of soldiers during the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore whether there was a relationship between PA and perceived work ability. Material and methods: The study involved 305 men and 68 women who were territorial army soldiers aged 18-55 (M±SD 32.9±9.01). The Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall (SDPAR) and the Work Ability Index (WAI) were used. Results: The level of self-reported PA for the studied soldiers was relatively high; 80% of them met the recommendations of the WHO and were characterized by having a good (60%) or excellent (20%) WAI status. The level of occupational PA of male soldiers was higher than the level of leisure time PA, and they indicated higher levels of occupational PA and leisure time PA during the workweek than the weekend. Conclusions: Current work ability in comparison to the best in life and work ability related to the physical requirements of the work were positively correlated with leisure time PA. Work ability related to physical requirements was also positively correlated with occupational and total PA, and work ability related to mental requirements was positively correlated with total PA. The study supports the relationship between PA and several aspects of work ability.
... A recent study showed that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) has declined in most occupational groups over the last two decades, being the greatest in blue-collar and low-skilled occupational groups [15]. CRF, especially when assessed with walking-based methods, correlates with WA [16,17]. However, high fitness may not automatically improve WA [18]. ...
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Work ability (WA) reflects an individual's resources, work demands, and related environment. Self-reports have shown that higher physical activity (PA) is associated with better WA. This study investigated associations of accelerometer-measured (24/7) physical behavior and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with WA. In the FinFit2017-population-based study, the physical behavior of 20-69-year-old working Finns was measured in terms of PA, standing, and sedentariness using validated MAD-APE algorithms based on raw triaxial accelerometer data. During waking hours, the accelerometer was hip-worn, while during the time in bed (TIB), it was worn on the non-dominant wrist. CRF was measured with a 6 min walk test. WA was assessed by four questions excerpted from the Work Ability Index (WAI), called the short WAI (sWAI). Participants (n = 1668, mean age 46.6, SD = 10.9, 57% women) scored on average 23.3 on the sWAI (range 6-27), with a higher value indicating a better WA. More minutes in standing (p = 0.001) and in moderate (p = 0.004) and vigorous PA (p < 0.001) as well as a higher step number (p < 0.001) and better CRF (p < 0.001) were associated with a higher sWAI value. More time spent lying down (p < 0.001) and in high-movement (p < 0.001) and total TIB (p = 0.001) was associated with a lower sWAI. Detailed analysis of 24/7 physical behavior can be utilized in identifying individual-related indicators of WA.
... Non-occupational factors affecting human health and work ability include lifestyle and health-promoting behaviours [4,9,10]. A healthy lifestyle is important at every stage of life; it is a myth that at a certain age it is too late to take health-promoting action. ...
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Purpose of paper: The purpose of this paper was to assess the impact of selected elements of lifestyle, psychosocial working conditions, and general mental health on older employees' ability to work. Methods: Employees (N= 1067) aged 50 to 65 years (M = 54.8; SD = 3.95) responded to a questionnaire on demographics, lifestyle characteristics, general mental health (GHQ - 12), psychosocial job characteristics (JCQ) and work ability (WAI). A logistic regression model was used to assess the impact of the selected factors on work ability. Results: Older employees were characterised by good (44.4%) and moderate (36.4%) work ability. The average WAI scores⁣ were significantly higher among employees who did not smoke, consumed the recommended daily intake of vegetables, drank enough water, ate breakfast every morning, cut down on sweets and were on a vegetarian diet. Good physical (no sic leave) and mental health, high level of job control, low job insecurity and use of over-the-counter drugs (OTC) were found to be the strongest predictorsof WAI scores. Conclusions: The results of the research indicate that most of the determinants of work ability identified at work are impacted, thus giving the opportunity to conduct some occupational health and preventive programs at workplace.
... This result is consistent with previous reports concluded that physical exercises can improve work ability. 21,22 Regarding preventing MSDs, several reviews reported evidence-based preventive strategies for dental professionals. Most of the studies have proposed that stretching after each work session or physical strength training was effective in preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among dental professionals. ...
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Background Exposure to high ergonomic risk resulted in an increasing prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among dental professional. However, little is known about the high exposure risk impact on work ability among dental professionals. Objective We conducted a cross‐sectional study to examine the association between ergonomic risk exposure and work ability among young dental professionals in their early careers. Methods A total of 230 dental professionals including dentists, dental assistants, and nurses were clustered sampled from three hospitals in Guangzhou, south of China. We used the Quick Ergonomic Check (QEC) to assess participants' ergonomic risk exposure and Work Ability Index (WAI) to evaluate their work ability. Demographics and other factors related with WAI were also included in the data collection. Multiple linear regression was applied to analyze the association between ergonomic exposure scores and WAI. Results A total of 218 participants (94.8%) had valid data and consent forms. The participants' average WAI was 39.6, of which the poor and moderate WAI composed 31%. High and very high ergonomic risk exposure level was 45.9% for the neck and 21.1% for the wrist/hand. In general, WAI decreased with higher ergonomic exposure level. With adjustment of other potential risk factors, the ergonomic scores for wrist/hand and total scores for the whole body were significantly associated with the decreased WAI. Conclusion High ergonomic risk exposure might risk in reducing work ability among young dental professionals. Intervention measures toward ergonomic risk should be taken to prevent WAI from decreasing in their early careers.
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Objectives: Work ability (WA) reflects a balance between work demands and an individual ability to meet them. It is influenced by several occupational and health related factors including the individual physical fitness (PF). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to provide an overview of the possible relationship between PF measures and the individuals’ WA. Methods: A systematic review of studies published up to the 1st of December 2022 and available in PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases, was performed. Results have been summarized according to the specific PF parameter explored. Results: The 14 reviewed studies, enrolling 47 to 1005 workers, showed all a satisfactory methodological quality. Some positive evidence emerged for a possible association between changes in aerobic capacity, walking speed, balance, flexibility, muscle strength and WA perception. However, the limited number of studies and their cross-sectional design; the different PF performance indicators, populations and job tasks explored prevent definite conclusions. Conclusions: Future longitudinal studies should be planned to confirm such positive results and identify PF indicators better predictive for changes in the WA of employees engaged in specific job tasks, particularly in physically demanding activities. This may be helpful to include PF performance test in the occupational health practice as an integrated part in risk assessment and management strategies as well as in health and well-being promotion plans. The review was not registered in international database; no funding was received.
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Purpose Combined with insufficient physical activity (PA) prolonged and improperly performed sedentary work can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The aim of this study was (I) to evaluate the self-reported level of PA and the prevalence of MSDs in male and female teachers, and (II) to investigate the association between PA and MSDs in teachers in Polish primary and secondary schools. Methods The study included 254 teachers from primary and secondary schools from Upper Silesia, Poland, excluding physical education teachers. The level of PA was assessed using the Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall (SDPAR). A standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to assess the prevalence of MSDs. Results A similar percentage of female (80%) and male (90%) teachers met the WHO recommendations on moderate-intensity PA. The recommendations on performing vigorous-intensity PA were met by significantly ( p = 0.002) less female than male teachers (50% and 75% respectively). Lower back disorders during the last 12 months and the last 7 days (57% and 45%, respectively) were the most commonly reported MSDs by teachers, followed by neck (53%, 40%), upper back (39%, 28%), and knee disorders (37%, 26%). The highest pain intensity was experienced by the teachers in the lower back and neck. Teachers with a greater number of MSDs were less likely to engage in vigorous-intensity PA and total PA than those with fewer painful areas of the body. Pain intensity in the neck, knees, upper- and lower back, and wrists/hands was negatively related to moderate and total PA. BMI negatively correlated with total PA, moderate-intensity PA vigorous-intensity PA, and high vigorous-intensity PA. Conclusions The study revealed the association between PA and MSDs in studied teachers. The most of the studied teachers met the WHO recommendation, and women were less likely to perform vigorous and high-vigorous PA than men. The lower back and neck disorders were the most common among the teachers.
Article
Physical readiness is important for operative police officers to cope with occupational tasks. Despite this, physical activity and physical fitness among police officers decrease throughout their occupational career. Self-determination theory (SDT) is a major theoretical approach in motivation research for sports and physical activity. SDT describes types of motivation and motivational regulation and how they are related to physical activity and physical activity adherence. This study aims to explore whether there is a relationship between motivation and the physical activity level of future police officers. The study was based on a survey design, including two questionnaires: Motives for Physical Activities Measure – Revised, measuring motivational regulation; and International Physical Activity Questionnaire – short form, measuring physical activity. Two hundred and fifty-eight students at the Norwegian Police University College (NPUC) participated in the study. Our results revealed that motivational regulation, especially intrinsic and integrated regulation, significantly predicted physical activity among NPUC students. Our findings support the basics of SDT, and how it is related to physical activity patterns and physical activity adherence. When discussing physical training and physical readiness, and to understand the reduction in physical activity and fitness among police officers, one cannot neglect the importance of exploring and understanding the motivation for physical activity among police officers. Educational institutions like the NPUC have an important role in securing minimum levels of physical fitness when graduating students, but even more importantly they can have a central part in nurturing intrinsic motivation for physical activity for the future police officers, which facilitates physical activity adherence throughout their policing career.
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Increasing prevalence rates of chronic disease requires a more sophisticated view of the effects of food on health. This review examines the evidence base for the effects of food on health and discusses food based health strategies.
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Objective. —To quantify the relation of cardiorespiratory fitness to cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and to all-cause mortality within strata of other personal characteristics that predispose to early mortality.
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The Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall interview is commonly used in epidemiologic research, but the methods of training and certifying interviewers have not been studied or standardized. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of the Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall interviews after a structured training program. Twenty-one volunteer interviewers participated in a five-session group training program that targeted standardized interview techniques and scoring procedures. Interviewers scored eight videotaped interviews on two occasions to assess scoring skills. Across all videotapes and interviewers, the test-retest reliability was .99. Two interviewers independently interviewed the same person on the same day, and the reliability of kilocalorie expenditure across interviewers was .86. It was concluded that naive individuals can be taught to reliably conduct and score the Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall interview in a brief training program.
Article
The work-related aspects of coronary heart disease have been studied from the view-point of work physiology. The purpose of the following three studies has been to clarify how physical load at work and at leisure affects the risk of developing coronary heart disease. The first study included 120 men, mean age 41 years. They were intensively studied in the laboratory and field conditions, and were classified into four activity categories according to their work and leisure time activities. The results indicated that the highest prevalence rates of obesity, hypertension and angina pectoris symptoms were found among men doing heavy physical work and having no sporting leisure activities. The second study included a postal questionnaire to Finnish municipal employees in 1981 and 1985. Altogether 1999 women and 1419 men responded in both years. Their mean ages at the two survey times were 50.5 and 54.7 years, respectively. The 4-year incidence rates of coronary heart diseases diagnosed by the doctor (myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, coronary insufficiency, hypertension) were the highest in occupations with physical demands, both among women and especially among the men. The incidence rate of hypertension was commonest (greater than 7.0%). Among men doing physical work the incidence rate of coronary artery disease was 5.0%. The risk ratios for muscular work among men were 5.8 in the 44--49 year age group and 2.2 in the 50--58 year age group. The third project was a case-control study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Article
Ten commonly used physical activity questionnaires were evaluated for reliability and validity in 78 men and women aged 20-59, with varying physical activity habits. One month reliability was found to be high for all questionnaires except those pertaining only to the last week or month. Longer term test-retest reliability tended to be lower. Validity was studied in relation to treadmill exercise performance, vital capacity, body fatness, the average of 14 4-wk physical activity histories and the average of 14 2-d accelerometer readings. No questionnaire measure was correlated with the accelerometer reading, and correlations with vital capacity were generally low. Only the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire household chores measure was correlated with habitual performance of household chores. Most questionnaires, even very simple ones, were related to performance of heavy intensity physical activity and treadmill performance; these same questionnaires tended to be related to percent body fat. Fewer questionnaires related to performance of light or moderate activity. Occupational activity was unrelated to any of the validation measures. It is concluded that there are multiple, nonoverlapping dimensions of physical activity, reflected in multiple nonoverlapping validation realms. More important than the length or attention to detail of a questionnaire seems to be the logic of its questions. Important areas of physical activity that should be addressed in future questionnaires include sleep, light, moderate and heavy intensity leisure activities, household chores, and occupational activity. Recent versus habitual activity should also be considered.
Article
The association of physical activity and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension and diabetes has previously been studied mostly in separate follow-up studies. The present analysis focuses on the association between physical activity and these three metabolic diseases in a representative adult cohort. The effect of the total amount and intensity of leisure time physical activity on the risk of the three diseases was studied in a cohort of 1340 men and 1500 women aged 35-63 years. During the 10 years of follow-up the incidence rates per 1000 person-years for CHD, hypertension and diabetes were 108, 142 and 64 for men and 75, 117 and 54 for women, respectively. In the Cox proportional hazards model the men's total amount of activity was inversely associated with the risk of CHD and hypertension. An age- and smoking-adjusted relative risk of 1.98 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-3.23) for CHD and age-adjusted risk of 1.73 (95% CI: 1.13-2.65) for hypertension were found for the lowest third total activity group compared with the highest third of total activity. Vigorous activity once or more often a week was inversely associated with the risk of hypertension. For the women both a higher total amount of activity and weekly vigorous activity had an inverse association with the risk of diabetes. An age-adjusted relative risk of 2.64 (95% CI: 1.28-5.44) for diabetes was found for the lowest third activity group compared with the highest third. The results suggest a preventive effect of leisure time physical activity on CHD, hypertension and diabetes. This effect may differ among middle-aged men and women and the relative importance of the total amount and the intensity may vary depending on the outcome measure.
Article
An adequate level of physical activity may maintain or promote work ability in aging workers. Project Active is a randomized trial comparing a Lifestyle physical activity program with a Structured exercise program in sedentary but healthy adults aged 35 to 60 years. Subjects in both groups received 6 months of intensive intervention followed by 18 months of active follow-up. The total number of subjects was 235, from which 80 subjects participated in the work ability assessment. Primary outcome measures were energy expenditure (kcal.kg-1.day-1), cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen uptake in ml.min-1.kg-1), and the Work Ability Index. At 6 months, daily energy expenditure had increased significantly over baseline (mean +/- SD, from 33.0 +/- 0.9 to 34.4 +/- 1.8 kcal.kg-1.day-1) and was maintained over baseline at 24 months (34.0 +/- 2.5 kcal.kg-1.day-1). The significant increase in energy expenditure was observed particularly in moderate levels of activity. The average percentage of body fat was significantly higher at baseline compared with 6 months and 24 months. Peak oxygen uptake increased from baseline significantly during the first 6 months (from 29.6 +/- 5.7 to 30.6 +/- 6.3 ml.min-1.kg-1) and decreased to the baseline level (29.1 +/- 5.5 ml.min-1.kg-1) at 24 months. At baseline, the average Work Ability Index was 44.2 +/- 4.0, and it remained unchanged at 6 months (44.4 +/- 3.9) and at 24 months (44.2 +/- 3.1). In conclusion, a 2-year physical activity intervention increased daily energy expenditure, reduced body fat, and maintained peak oxygen uptake in healthy, middle-aged, sedentary subjects. The average Work Ability Index score at baseline was excellent and did not change during the 2-year physical activity interventions.
Article
The effects and constancy of a worksite physical exercise intervention were examined in relation to the physical fitness, perceived health status, and work ability of female service workers during periods of 1 and 5 years. The subjects comprised female home care workers divided into an intervention group (n = 50, mean age 41.8 (SD 10.4) years) and a control group (n = 37, mean age 43.3 (SD 8.8) years). The intervention group participated in 9 months of supervised exercise intervention twice a week during the workday. Functional capacity, perceived health, and work ability were assessed at the beginning of the study and after a 1- and a 5-year period of follow-up. In the 1-year follow-up measurements, body fat had decreased (4%) and dynamic muscle performance and maximal oxygen consumption in relation to body mass (30-38 and 7%, respectively) had increased in the intervention group. The differences in outcome variables between the intervention and the control groups were significant (from P = 0.014 to P < 0.001). These positive effects of worksite exercise were observed despite the age of the subjects, and the changes were consistent during a 5-year period. In the control group the decline of the work ability index (L smean) was about three times faster than in the intervention group during the 5-year period. Physical exercise executed in work units can be used to improve the physical capacity of female home care aides and prevent the early decline of their work ability. In jobs that are physically demanding, such as home care work, early prevention must start before the age-related deterioration of health and physical capacity.