Device-measured physical activity, sedentary behaviour and cardiometabolic health and fitness across occupational groups: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: With approximately 8 hours of one's waking day spent at work, occupational tasks and environments are important influencers on an individual's physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours. Little research has compared device-measured physical activity, sedentary behaviour and cardiometabolic outcomes between occupational groups.

Objective: To compare device-measured movement (sedentary time [ST], light intensity physical activity [LPA], moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity [MVPA], and steps) across occupations. The secondary objective was to examine whether cardiometabolic and fitness outcomes differed by occupation.

Methods: Five bibliographic databases were searched to identify all studies which included working age, employed adults from high-income countries, and reported on device-measured movement within occupations. Risk of bias within and across studies was assessed. Results were synthesized using meta-analyses and narrative syntheses.

Results: The review includes 132 unique studies with data from 15,619 participants. Working adults spent ~ 60% of their working and waking time engaged in sedentary behaviour; a very small proportion (~ 4%) of the day included MVPA. On average, workers accumulated 8124 steps/day. Office and call center workers' steps/day were among the lowest, while those of postal delivery workers were highest. Office workers had the greatest ST and the lowest time in LPA both at work and during wakeful time. However, office workers had the greatest minutes sent in MVPA during wakeful hours. Laborers had the lowest ST and spent a significantly greater proportion of their work time in LPA and MVPA. Healthcare and protective services workers had higher levels of LPA at work compared to other occupations. Workers in driving-based occupations tended to have a higher body mass index and blood pressure.

Conclusion: This review identifies that occupational and wakeful time PA and ST differed between occupations. Future studies are needed to assess whether patterns differ by age and sex, describe leisure-time movement and movement patterns, and the relationship with cardiometabolic health.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42017070448 .

Keywords: Motor activity; Occupation; Sedentary behaviour; Systematic review; Workplace.

Fig. 1

PRISMA flow diagram

Fig. 2

Summary of risk of bias scores

Fig. 3

a-h Percentage and minutes of total wake time and time at work spent in sedentary (a and b), light- (c and d) and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (e and f) and steps at work (g) and during wakeful time (h) overall (red diamonds) and by occupation group (black diamonds). I² - measure of heterogeneity, LPA - light intensity physical activity, MVPA – moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, n - number of studies

Fig. 4

a-h Body mass index (a), waist circumference (b), waist-to-hip ratio (c), body fat percentage (d), systolic blood pressure (e), diastolic blood pressure (f), total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and triglycerides (g), and blood glucose (h) overall (red diamonds) and by occupation group (black diamonds). HDL - high density lipoprotein, I² - measure of heterogeneity, LDL - low density lipoprotein, n - number of studies, TC - total cholesterol, TG – triglycerides