Associations of sitting time and occupation with metabolic syndrome in South Korean adults: a cross-sectional study.
Previous evidence suggests that there is a correlation between prolonged sitting time and cardio-metabolic disease, such as metabolic syndrome (MS). Cardiovascular disease is the second-leading cause of mortality in South Korea, a country with the longest working hours among all member states of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. However, no previous study has investigated the relationships of overall sitting-time and occupation with MS in South Korea. Accordingly, the present study examined these relationships in a South Korean population.



Data from the sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), a nationally representative survey with a cross-sectional design, were used in the present study. MS diagnoses were evaluated using the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) criteria. Participants self-reported their overall sitting times, and occupations were classified using the Korean version of the Standard Classification of Occupations (KSCO). A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the associations of sitting time and occupation with MS.



The risk of MS was 1.21-fold higher among participants who sat for >7 h/day than among those who sat for ≤7 h/day (odds ratio [OR]: 1.21, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.46). Regarding occupation, office workers had a two-fold higher risk of MS than did agriculture, forestry, and fishery (AFF) workers (OR: 2.01, 95 % CI: 1.26-3.22). In a combined analysis of sitting time and occupation, male participants who sat for >7 h/day and reported an occupation that involves office work (OW) or machine fitting (MF) were significantly more likely to have MS when compared to those who sat for ≤7 h/day and were employed as AFF workers (>7 h/day × OW, OR: 2.41, 95 % CI: 1.05-5.51; >7 h/day × MF, OR: 2.92, 95 % CI: 1.43-5.93).



Excessive sitting time and a sedentary occupation correlated positively with MS in South Korean adults. Accordingly, a reduction in the overall sitting time or inclusion of energy-expending activities in the workplace might improve the rate of MS.
Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jin Young
JY
Nam
Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Juyoung
J
Kim
Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kyung Hee
KH
Cho
Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Young
Y
Choi
Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jaewoo
J
Choi
Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jaeyong
J
Shin
Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ecpark@yuhs.ac.|Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ecpark@yuhs.ac.
Eun-Cheol
EC
Park
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011187:Posture; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
Metabolic syndrome; Occupation; Sedentary behavior; Sitting-time