title: Occupational physical activity across occupational categories.
abstract: This study investigated the amount of physical activity that occurs during normal working hours, highlighting the occupational differences in physical activity by occupational category. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire (Tecumseh Occupational Physical Activity Questionnaire [TOQ]), which measures past year Occupational Physical Activity (OPA) and by a motion-sensing device (Yamax DigiWalker Pedometer SW - 700). Ninety male and female participants aged 18-62 years participated in the study. Participants were stratified by occupational category according to the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO), which was then condensed into professional, white-collar and blue-collar workers. The results showed significant (p < .05) increases in OPA from the professional category (least active) through to the blue-collar workers (most active) in terms of walking activity. Mean daily step counts were 2,835, 3,616 and 8,757 for professional, white-collar and blue-collar respectively. Occupational Physical Activity Scores and Work Activity Units (WAU) in MET - min x wk(-1) from the TOQ showed similar patterns, with blue collar reporting significantly (p < .05) more past year OPA than their white-collar and professional workers. Significant correlations were also shown between the pedometer (step-count data) and the TOQ (r = .38 - .74, p < .01).
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University, Faculty of Arts, Health and Sciences, School of Health and Human Performance, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mummery
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011793:Queensland; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology