Association Of Occupational Activity To Body Composition And Fitness In Adults With Overweight Or Obesity

PURPOSE: To examine the association between the occupational physical activity and measures of body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with overweight or obesity. METHODS: A cross-sectional assessment was conducted with 372 adults (BMI: 32.4 ± 3.8, Age: 45.6 ± 8.0) who presented for a behavioral weight loss intervention. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire assessed the physical activity (MET-hr per week) in various domains including occupational, household, transportation, and recreational. Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between physical activity in these domains and submaximal cardiorespiratory fitness and measures of body fatness. RESULTS: There was a weak but positive relationship between total MET-hours of occupational activity and the time to termination in the submaximal fitness test (r = 0.16, p < 0.01). A similar association was found between occupational activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 ml/kg/min) (r = 0.11, p < 0.05). There were no associations between occupational activity and percent body fat, BMI, or waist circumference. In stepwise regression analysis, which controlled for gender and age neither occupational activity or the other domains of activity were significantly associated with measures of body fatness. In similar stepwise regression analysis, both occupational and recreational activity were significant associated with time to termination for the submaximal fitness test (β = 0.11, p < 0.05 and β = 0.09, p < 0.05 respectively). However, neither of these activities was predictive of cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 ml/kg/min) (β = 0.06, p = 0.20 and β = 0.06, p = 0.18 respectively), percent body fat (β = 0.03, p = 0.53 and β = -0.05, p = 0.23 respectively), or the other measures of body fatness. CONCLUSION: Occupational activity has been understudied in adults with overweight or obesity. These cross-sectional findings suggest that occupational activity may not be significantly associated with measures of adiposity in adults with overweight or obesity. However, there is a weak signal that occupational activity may contribute to submaximal fitness. This warrants examination in prospective studies of adults with overweight or obesity. (Funding: R01HL103646, P20GM144269, add TL1TR002368) Supported by: R01HL103646, P20GM144269, add TL1TR002368