Joint associations of leisure time physical activity and screen sitting time with long-term sickness absence due to mental and musculoskeletal diseases: a registry linked follow-up study

Abstract

Objectives: To examine joint associations of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and screen sitting time with subsequent sickness absence among the adult population.

Study design: Registry linked follow-up study.

Methods: A representative sample of Finnish adults (n = 10,300) were asked to fill out a questionnaire for the FinHealth 2017 survey. Self-reported LTPA was classified into three groups: inactive, moderately active, and active, and screen sitting time into two groups: 3 h or less and over three hours a day, yielding a six-category variable for the joint analyses. Questionnaire data were linked to the Finnish Social Insurance Institution's register data on sickness benefits (over 9 days), including diagnoses (follow-up 2.9 years). The analytical samples were restricted to working age (18-64 years), which included 5098 participants. Associations were examined using logistic regression analysis adjusting for covariates with SPSS 29.

Results: The inactive and high sitting time had a higher risk for sickness absence due to mental disorders (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.03-4.18) compared with the physically active, low-sitting time group. Additionally, the inactive and low sitting time (OR 1.69 95% CI 1.12-2.55) and the moderately active and high-sitting time groups (OR 2.06 95% CI 1.15-3.67) had a higher risk. No significant associations were found for all-cause and musculoskeletal diseases sickness absence.

Conclusion: Employers and policymakers could support reducing sitting in front of a screen and increase LTPA outside working hours to prevent mental health problems and related sickness absences.

Keywords: Exercise; Population-based study; Sedentary behavior; Sick leave; Work ability.