Higher physical activity is associated with lower activity limitation: Cross-sectional analyses among the Spanish working population

Objectives. - Prevention of disability in all its forms is a major public health challenge and promoting a healthy lifestyle with sufficient physical activity (PA) may be a way forward. In contrast to long-term deprivation of usual activities, usually linked to critical injuries or conditions, little is known about shorter periods of those limitations in working populations. Equipment and methods. - We used data from the Spanish National Health Survey 2017 (n = 9,885 >= 17 years; 47.4% women). Workers self-reported usual activity limitation due to health problems (AL) (<= 14 days) whereas the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form was used to measure PA. After calculating MET-minutes/week, workers were divided into two categories: 1) Less than 600 MET-minutes/week. 2). At least 600 METminutes/week. We conducted a multivariable logistic regression to assess associations. Covariates were age, sex, education, occupation, smoking habits, BMI, diabetes, hypertension, neck pain, low back pain, chronic depression, and anxiety. Results. - The overall prevalence of AL was 10.7%, whereas the overall prevalence of workers performing less than 600 MET-minutes/week of PA was 29.6%. In final adjusted models, those workers performing less than 600 MET-minutes/week of PA subgroup were associated with significantly higher odds for AL (OR 1.33, 95%CI 1.15-1.54). This association was strongest in workers aged 37-43 (OR 1.75, 95%CI 1.27-2.41), and 53-69 years (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.22-2.28). Conclusions. - The results suggest that reaching >= 600 MET-minutes/week of PA is associated with lower odds of AL among a general working population, especially among specific age ranges. (c) 2022 L'Auteur(s).