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Steps and sitting in a working population

International Journal of Behavioral Medicine volume 11, pages 219–224 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

This study aimed to assess sitting time and number of steps taken each day, and the relationships between these variables, in a sample of working Australian adults. Workers (N = 185) wore a pedometer for 7 days and recorded the number of steps taken and time spent sitting each day. Average time spent sitting on weekdays was 9.4 (SD = 2.40) hr, with about half spent sitting at work. Despite this, the average steps taken each day (M = 8,873, SD = 2,757) was higher on weekdays than on weekend days. There was a clear inverse relationship between sitting time at work and number of steps taken on weekdays, r = -.34, p < .001); those in the highest tertile for sitting time reported about 3,000 fewer daily steps. Workers in managerial and professional occupations reported more time sitting at work (M = 6.2 hr per day) and lower weekday step counts (M = 7,883, N = 43) than technical (M = 3.3 hr sitting at work and 10,731 weekday steps, N = 33) and blue collar workers (M = 1.6 hours sitting and 11,784 steps, N = 11). The findings suggest those whose daily work involves long hours of sitting should be the focus of efforts to promote physical activity both within and outside the workplace.

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Affiliations

  1. Brisbane Southside Public Health Unit, Queensland Health, Brisbane; and School of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland, Archerfield Qld 4108, PO Box 333

    Ruth Miller

  2. School of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland, Brisbane

    Wendy Brown

Authors
  1. Ruth Miller
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  2. Wendy Brown
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Miller, R., Brown, W. Steps and sitting in a working population. Int. J. Behav. Med. 11, 219–224 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm1104_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm1104_5

Key words

  • sitting
  • pedometers
  • physical activity
  • occupation
  • workers