Physical activity levels by occupational category in non-metropolitan Australian adults

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between occupational category and 3 health-related behaviors: participation in leisure-time physical activity, active transport (AT) and occupational sitting in a sample of employed Australian adults. Methods: A random, cross-sectional sample of 592 adults aged 18 to 71 years completed a telephone survey in October/November 2006. Reported occupations were categorized as professional (n = 332, 56.1%), white-collar (n = 181, 30.6%), and blue-collar (n - 79,13.3%). Relationships between occupational category and AT, sufficient physical activity and occupational sitting were examined using logistic regression. Results: White-collar employees (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.14-0.95) were less likely to engage in AT and more likely to engage in occupational sitting (OR - 3.10, 95% CI 1.63-5.92) when compared with blue-collar workers. Professionals (OR = 3.04,95% CI 1.94-4.76) were also more likely to engage in occupational sitting compared with blue-collar workers. No relationship was observed between occupational category and engagement in sufficient physical activity. Conclusions: No association between occupational category and sufficient physical activity levels was observed, although white-collar and professionals were likely to engage in high levels of occupational sitting. Innovative and sustainable strategies are required to reduce occupational sitting to improve health.