title: Sickness Presenteeism Among Health Care Workers and the Effect of BMI, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between sickness presenteeism and body mass index (BMI), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Female health care workers (n = 139) were analyzed cross-sectional as well as longitudinal after 3 and 12-month follow-up. Sickness presenteeism was assessed as a summed score using validated questions from three questionnaires: Health and Work Performance Questionnaire, Work Ability Index, and Quantity and Quality Method. CRF was assessed by a maximal cycling test and MVC from four muscle groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant relationships were found between sickness presenteeism and BMI as well as MVC both cross-sectional and as changes over 3 months. Participants with BMI more than 30  kg/m had significantly higher sickness presenteeism than those with BMI less than 25  kg/m.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that actions that decrease BMI and increase MVC decrease the amount of sickness presenteeism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jeanette Reffstrup
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Malte Bue
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Kongstad
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sjøgaard
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Søgaard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006282:Health Personnel; D006293:Health Promotion; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010809:Physical Fitness; D000069597:Presenteeism / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016037:Single-Blind Method