PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR OF WORKERS IN CHILE, ACCORDING TO THE 2016-2017 NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY

M.A. Leppe Zamora¹, B.M. Muñoz Monari¹, J. Leppe Zamora¹

Background: Physical activity is a key factor to maintain adequate working capacity. Work is associated to physical activity levels and spending time in sedentary behaviors. In Chile there are more than 8 million workers (43% of total population) with an important prevalence of non-communicable diseases and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.

Purpose: ​​​​​The aim of this study is to determine the level of physical activity and sedentary behavior of the employed population, according to the 2016-2017 National Health Survey according to different types of occupations.

Methods: Secondary analysis of the 2016-2017 National Health Survey. Working population was defined as subjects who reported working for income in the last 12 months. Workers were classified in twenty-eight main subgroups according to the International Standard Classification of Occupations of the International Labor Organization. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were obtained from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire reported in the survey and the WHO criterion was used to classify subjects as sufficiently or insufficiently active. For sedentary behavior, a cutoff point ≥ 4 hours/day was used. Physical activity and sedentary behavior are presented in median (P₅₀) and interquartile range (RIQ).
For the inferential statistical analysis, Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis, and Chi-square tests were used. The level of significance was 5%. Stata 15 software was used for the analysis.

Results: Of 1903 subjects analyzed, 49.9% are women, and 87.9% from urban areas. A 71.1% was classified as sufficiently active, as well as 76.3% of men and 65.8% of women (p<0.05). A 25.6% reported a sedentary behavior equal or greater than 4 hours/day, no differences within sex. The Total physical activity was P₅₀=103 RIQ=20-334 min/day. The time spent by physical activity domain was: Travel P₅₀=18 RIQ=0-60 min/day, Work P₅₀=0 RIQ=0-240 min/day and Leisure P₅₀=0 RIQ=0-12.8 min/day. For sedentary behavior, the median was P₅₀=120 RIQ=60-300 min/day. Occupations classified as "other scientific and intellectual professionals" reported the least physical activity and the highest sedentary behavior. On the other hand, "other works related to agriculture, extractive industries" and "construction" reported high physical activity levels and less time in sedentary behavior.

Conclusion(s): According to self-reporting, workers in Chile meet the criteria of being sufficiently active and have low levels of sedentary behavior. Task types performed by each occupational group are associated with physical activity and sedentary behavior. Female were less physically active and leisure time was the lowest domain reported. Occupational groups associated with intellectual and sitting jobs seem to be the priority group to intervene and improve sedentary lifestyle behaviors.

Implications: This study makes it possible to identify priority groups for intervention in healthy lifestyles. Self-reporting could be biased since high levels of physical activity may be lower and sedentary behavior greater than those reported. Work-related musculoskeletal problems are frequent reasons for physiotherapy consultation. Physiotherapists are suitable professionals to promote, maintain and recover workers’ health and must participate in occupational health programs. This study opens the discussion on strategies aiming to address and improve worker’s occupational health through wellbeing promotion policies at workplaces.

Funding, acknowledgements: This was unfunded research.

Keywords: Occupational groups, Physical activity, Sedentary behavior

Topic: Occupational health & ergonomics

Did this work require ethics approval? No

Institution: Universidad del Desarrollo.

Committee: Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo

Reason: Public and unidentified dataset not containing sensitive personal information