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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
4186.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Board 8

Abstract #115408

Leisure-Time Physical Activity Levels of the US Work Force: The National Health Interview Survey 1997 - 2003

Alberto Juan Caban, BSc, MPH1, David James Lee, PhD1, Lora E. Fleming, MD PhD, MPH, MSc1, William LeBlanc, Phd1, Orlando Gomez-Marin, PhD, MSc2, and Terry Pitman1. (1) Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1801 NW 9th Avenue, Highland Professional Building, Suite 200, Miami, FL 33136, 305-243-6980, acaban@med.miami.edu, (2) Epidemiology & Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Highland Professional Building, 1801 NW 9th Ave, Miami, FL 33136

Objectives: Determine the proportion of workers meeting Healthy People 2010 guidelines for recommended levels of leisure time physical activity in major US occupational groups.

Methods: The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is a cross-sectional multistage probability household survey of the US civilian non-institutionalized population. Aggregated data from NHIS survey years 1997-2003 included over 210,000 US workers, age > 18 years. Recommended levels of leisure-time physical activity were based on the US Healthy People 2010 guidelines (i.e., engaging in light-moderate activity > 30 minutes > 5 times per week, or vigorous activity > 20 minutes > 3 times per week).

Results: The five occupational groups with the highest proportion of workers meeting the activity guideline were: Police and firefighters; Health diagnosing professionals; Natural mathematics/ computer scientists; Teachers, librarians, and counselors; and writers, artists, entertainers, athletes (range of proportions: 26.5-30.5%). The five occupational groups with the lowest proportion of workers meeting the guideline were: Machine operators / tenderers, except precision; Cleaning and building services; Farm operators and managers; Fabricators, assemblers, inspectors, samplers; and forestry / fishing occupations (range: 11.9-14.6%).

Conclusions: Leisure time physical activity levels are sub-optimal among all major US worker groups and show substantial variability across occupations. Development of tailored interventions targeting workers employed in sedentary occupations with very low rates of leisure-time physical activity is paramount.

Learning Objectives:

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Occupational Safety and Health Topics

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA