Habitual Physical Activity, BMI and Aerobic Capacity Among Office Employees

Abstract

Health impairments can compromise occupational performance, thereby diminishing productivity when individuals are unable to meet job demands. Reduced aerobic capacity is specifically associated with a diminished ability to perform prolonged tasks, as lower cardiorespiratory fitness restricts both endurance and physiological efficiency. The aim of the study is to assess the habitual physical activity and aerobic endurance and BMI of office workers and to find relationship among parameters. Methods: 51 office workers participated in the study (89 % women and 11 % men, with a mean age of 42.2 ± 10.1 years). Data was collected using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT). The questionnaire process and the collection of data from the 6-MWT of respondents took place anonymously, with the permission of the Research Ethics Committee of Rīga Stradiņš University. Mathematical statistics (descriptive statistics and Spearman Rank correlation) were used. This research was funded by the framework of the Plan of the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility and the State budget grant RSU/LSPA-PA-2024/1–0013. The results have shown that 41 % of office workers do not participate in vigorous physical activities, while 19 % participate in them two days a week. On the other hand, 19 % of office workers do not participate in moderate physical activities during the week. The results of the 6-MWT study indicate that 88 % are healthy people, and the average result of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in the group was 516.82 meters. The participants spend on average 472.92 minutes sitting per day, which corresponds to approximately 7 hours. There is a correlation between the time spent participating in moderate physical activities and the distance covered in the 6-MWT test, and the longer the employees sit, the less distance covered in the 6-MWT. Conclusions: the study examined the relationship between daily levels of moderate physical activity, sedentary time, and aerobic endurance, emphasizing the necessity for office employees to reduce prolonged sitting. The findings suggest that, moving forward, multifaceted strategies will be required to effectively encourage physical activity within workplace settings.