Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Patterns and correlates of physical activity among middle-aged employees: A population-based, cross-sectional study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to determine the level, pattern and correlates (socio-demographic, lifestyle and work-related) of physical activity among middle-aged employees in Croatia.

Material and Methods

In this cross-sectional study the data were collected using a household interview on a random sample of 766 middle-aged employees (52% female) living in Croatia. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-long) was used to assess physical activity. An additional questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic, lifestyle and work-related correlates.

Results

The median (95% CI) total physical activity for the whole sample was 78.7 (69.1–88.3) MET-hours/week. Most physical activity was accumulated in the domain of work (26.4 (20.3–32.5) MET-hours/week) or in domestic activities (19.2(17.8–20.7) MET-hours/week), whilst a significantly lower physical activity was found in the transport (3.3 (2.9–3.7) MET-hours/week) and leisure-time domains (6.5 (5.7–7.3) MET-hours/week). The multiple regression analysis showed an inverse relationship between educational level and the size of settlements with the domestic-related and total physical activity (β range: −0.11 to −0.22; p < 0.01). Among lifestyle correlates, only alcohol consumption was positively related to the total physical activity (β = 0.12; p < 0.01), while the perceived level of stress outside work was the only one, which was inversely associated with the work-related (β = −0.09; p < 0.01) and leisure-time physical activity (β = −0.10; p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Middle-aged employees in Croatia accumulate most of their daily physical activity in the work and domestic domains. Analysis of the relationship between physical activity and potential socio-demographic, lifestyle, and work-related correlates indicated that physical activity promotional activities should be primarily focused on males, employees living in smaller settlements and those with higher educational levels. The correlates of physical activity among middle-aged employees seem to be domain-specific. Therefore, future studies in this area should consider assessing physical activity in each domain separately.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kruk J. Physical activity in the prevention of the most frequent chronic diseases: An analysis of the recent evidence. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2007;8(3):325–338.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Etter JF. Perceived priorities for prevention: Change between 1996 and 2006 in a general population survey. J Public Health (Oxf). 2009;31(1):113–118, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdn106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hallal PC, Andersen LB, Bull FC, Guthold R, Haskell W, Ekelund U. Global physical activity levels: Surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects. Lancet. 2012;380(9838):247–257, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(12)60646-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Jurakic D, Pedisic Z. Prevalence of insufficient physical activity in children and adolescents: Review. Paediatr Croatica. 2012;56(4):321–326.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Sparling PB, Owen N, Lambert EV, Haskell WL. Promoting physical activity: The new imperative for public health. Health Educ Res. 2000;15(3):367–376, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/her/15.3.367.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hinkley T, Salmon J, Okely AD, Hesketh K, Crawford D. Correlates of preschool children’s physical activity. Am J Prev Med. 2012;43(2):159–167, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.020.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Jurakic D, Pedisic Z, Andrijasevic M. Physical activity of Croatian population: Cross-sectional study using International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Croat Med J. 2009;50(2):165–173, http://dx.doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2009.50.165.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Trinh L, Plotnikoff RC, Rhodes RE, North S, Courneya KS. Correlates of physical activity in a population-based sample of kidney cancer survivors: An application of the theory of planned behavior. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012;9:96, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-9-96.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Trost SG, Owen N, Bauman AE, Sallis JF, Brown W. Correlates of adults’ participation in physical activity: Review and update. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34(12):1996–2001, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200212000-00020.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Bauman AE, Reis RS, Sallis JF, Wells JC, Loos RJ, Martin BW. Correlates of physical activity: why are some people physically active and others not? Lancet. 2012;380(9838):258–271, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(12)60735-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. World Health Organization. Workplace health promotion. 2013 [cited 2013 Oct 10]. Available from: http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/workplace/en/.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Dishman RK, Oldenburg B, O’Neal H, Shephard RJ. Worksite physical activity interventions. Am J Prev Med. 1998;15(4):344–361, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00077-4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Blackford K, Jancey J, Howat P, Ledger M, Lee AH. Office-based physical activity and nutrition intervention: Barriers, enablers, and preferred strategies for workplace obesity prevention, Perth, Western Australia, 2012. Prev Chronic Dis. 2013;10:E154, http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd10.130029.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Erikson E. Childhood and society. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.; 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  15. IPAQ group. Guidelines for data processing and analysis of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). 2005 [cited 2013 Oct 10]. Available from: http://www.ipaq.ki.se/scoring.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Pedišić Z, Jurakić D, Rakovac M, Hodak D, Dizdar D. Reliability of the Croatian long version of the international physical activity questionnaire. Kinesiology. 2011;43(2):185–191.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Bonett DG, Price RM. Statistical inference for a linear function of medians: Confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and sample size requirements. Psychol Methods. 2002;7(3):370–383, http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1082-989X.7.3.370.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Pettee Gabriel KK, Morrow JR Jr., Woolsey AL. Framework for physical activity as a complex and multidimensional behavior. J Phys Act Health. 2012;9Suppl 1:S11–S18.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. de Zwart BC, Frings-Dresen MH, van Dijk FJ. Physical workload and the aging worker: A review of the literature. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1995;68(1):1–12, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01831627.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Lee YS. Gender differences in physical activity and walking among older adults. J Women Aging. 2005;17(1–2):55–70, http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J074v17n01_05.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kim HK, Kim MJ, Park CG, Kim HO. Gender differences in physical activity and its determinants in rural adults in Korea. J Clin Nurs. 2010;19(5–6):876–883, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2009.03054.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How much physical activity do adults need? 2011 [cited 2013 Oct 10]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Holtermann A, Marott JL, Gyntelberg F, Sogaard K, Suadicani P, Mortensen OS, et al. Occupational and leisure time physical activity: Risk of all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction in the Copenhagen City Heart Study. A prospective cohort study. BMJ Open. 2012;2(1):e000556, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000556.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Carver A, Salmon J, Campbell K, Baur L, Garnett S, Crawford D. How do perceptions of local neighborhood relate to adolescents’ walking and cycling? Am J Health Promot. 2005;20(2):139–147, http://dx.doi.org/10.4278/0890-1171-20.2.139.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. McCormack GR, Shiell A. In search of causality: A systematic review of the relationship between the built environment and physical activity among adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011;8:125, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-125.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Bauman A, Ma G, Cuevas F, Omar Z, Waqanivalu T, Phongsavan P, et al. Cross-national comparisons of socioeconomic differences in the prevalence of leisure-time and occupational physical activity, and active commuting in six Asia-Pacific countries. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2011;65(1):35–43, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech.2008.086710.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Finger JD, Tylleskar T, Lampert T, Mensink GB. Physical activity patterns and socioeconomic position: The German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98). BMC Public Health. 2012;12:1079, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-1079.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Beenackers MA, Kamphuis CB, Giskes K, Brug J, Kunst AE, Burdorf A, et al. Socioeconomic inequalities in occupational, leisure-time, and transport related physical activity among European adults: A systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012;9:116, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-9-116.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Aldana SG, Sutton LD, Jacobson BH, Quirk MG. Relationships between leisure time physical activity and perceived stress. Percept Mot Skills. 1996;82(1):315–321, http://dx.doi.org/10.2466/pms.1996.82.1.315.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Wijndaele K, Matton L, Duvigneaud N, Lefevre J, de Bourdeaudhuij I, Duquet W, et al. Association between leisure time physical activity and stress, social support and coping: A cluster-analytical approach. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2007;8(4):425–440, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2006.08.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Piazza-Gardner AK, Barry AE. Examining physical activity levels and alcohol consumption: Are people who drink more active? Am J Health Promot. 2012;26(3):e95–104, http://dx.doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.100929-LIT-328.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. French MT, Popovici I, Maclean JC. Do alcohol consumers exercise more? Findings from a national survey. Am J Health Promot. 2009;24(1):2–10, http://dx.doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.0801104.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Fransson EI, Heikkila K, Nyberg ST, Zins M, Westerlund H, Westerholm P, et al. Job strain as a risk factor for leisure-time physical inactivity: An individual-participant meta-analysis of up to 170,000 men and women: The IPD-Work Consortium. Am J Epidemiol. 2012;176(12):1078–1089, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aje/kws336.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Planinšek S, Škof B, Leskošek B, Tomori MŽ, Pori M. Correlation of sports activity with stress and satisfaction with life among adult Slovenians. Slovenian J Public Health. 2014;53(1):1–10, http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2014-0001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Yang X, Telama R, Hirvensalo M, Hintsanen M, Hintsa T, Pulkki-Raback L, et al. The benefits of sustained leisure-time physical activity on job strain. Occup Med (Lond). 2010;60(5):369–375, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqq019.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Sallis JF, Prochaska JJ, Taylor WC. A review of correlates of physical activity of children and adolescents. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;32(5):963–975, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200005000-00014.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Koeneman MA, Verheijden MW, Chinapaw MJ, Hopman-Rock M. Determinants of physical activity and exercise in healthy older adults: A systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2011;8:142, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-8-142.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. den Hoed M, Brage S, Zhao JH, Westgate K, Nessa A, Ekelund U, et al. Heritability of objectively assessed daily physical activity and sedentary behavior. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;98(5):1317–1325, http://dx.doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.113.069849.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Danijel Jurakic, Antonija Golubić & Zeljko Pedisic

  2. Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Danijel Jurakic & Maja Pori

  3. Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Zeljko Pedisic

  4. Faculty of Kinesiology Zagreb, Croatia, University of Zagreb, Horvacanski zavoj 15, Zagreb, Croatia

    Danijel Jurakic

Authors
  1. Danijel Jurakic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonija Golubić
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zeljko Pedisic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Maja Pori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Danijel Jurakic.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jurakic, D., Golubić, A., Pedisic, Z. et al. Patterns and correlates of physical activity among middle-aged employees: A population-based, cross-sectional study. IJOMEH 27, 487–497 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2478/s13382-014-0282-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13382-014-0282-8

Key words

Search

Navigation