Factors associated with low physical activity: a cross-sectional study in workers of a Peruvian clinic

Introduction: Low physical activity in workers is an occupational health problem that significantly increases the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. This negatively impacts their physical well-being, productivity, and ov...

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Main Authors: Irene Condori, Fernando Soncco-Llulluy, Jair Li, Jaime Rosales-Rimache
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Occupational Health and Safety Society of Nepal 2025-01-01
Series:International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://nepjol.info/index.php/IJOSH/article/view/69221
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author Irene Condori
Fernando Soncco-Llulluy
Jair Li
Jaime Rosales-Rimache
author_facet Irene Condori
Fernando Soncco-Llulluy
Jair Li
Jaime Rosales-Rimache
author_sort Irene Condori
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Low physical activity in workers is an occupational health problem that significantly increases the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. This negatively impacts their physical well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life. Methods: A cross-sectional study was used during the year 2019 to identify the factors associated with low physical activity in 131 health and administrative workers from a Peruvian clinic. Physical activity was evaluated with the instrument "International Physical Activity Questionnaire". Results: The median age was 37.0 years, and 72.5% were women. The median BMI was 25.6 kg/m2, with overweight and obesity prevalences of 51.9% and 11.5%, respectively, and 13.7% presented low physical activity. The physical workload score was lower in workers with high physical activity (8.6, IQR: 6.9-13.0) compared to moderate physical activity (5.9, IQR: 3.6-9.0) and low physical activity (3.8, IQR: 3.0-4.8). The multivariate analysis showed that the physical workload score was the only variable significantly associated with physical activity. Conclusion: Having a higher physical workload significantly decreases low physical activity in clinic workers. It is crucial that physical inactivity prevention programs at work encourage standing or walking meetings, ensure ergonomic sit-stand workstations, and allow breaks to break static posture.
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spelling doaj-art-bc15506baf5b4adbbad3516bf910001f2025-08-20T02:01:57ZengOccupational Health and Safety Society of NepalInternational Journal of Occupational Safety and Health2738-97072091-08782025-01-0115110.3126/ijosh.v15i1.69221Factors associated with low physical activity: a cross-sectional study in workers of a Peruvian clinicIrene Condori0https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8322-1519Fernando Soncco-Llulluy1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3511-2443Jair Li2https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9481-2491Jaime Rosales-Rimache3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1665-2332Universidad Alas Peruanas, Lima, PerúFacultad de Tecnología Médica, Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, Lima, PerúEscuela de Tecnología Médica, Universidad Continental. Huancayo, PerúUniversidad Continental, Av San Carlos 1980, Huancayo, 12000, Peru Introduction: Low physical activity in workers is an occupational health problem that significantly increases the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. This negatively impacts their physical well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life. Methods: A cross-sectional study was used during the year 2019 to identify the factors associated with low physical activity in 131 health and administrative workers from a Peruvian clinic. Physical activity was evaluated with the instrument "International Physical Activity Questionnaire". Results: The median age was 37.0 years, and 72.5% were women. The median BMI was 25.6 kg/m2, with overweight and obesity prevalences of 51.9% and 11.5%, respectively, and 13.7% presented low physical activity. The physical workload score was lower in workers with high physical activity (8.6, IQR: 6.9-13.0) compared to moderate physical activity (5.9, IQR: 3.6-9.0) and low physical activity (3.8, IQR: 3.0-4.8). The multivariate analysis showed that the physical workload score was the only variable significantly associated with physical activity. Conclusion: Having a higher physical workload significantly decreases low physical activity in clinic workers. It is crucial that physical inactivity prevention programs at work encourage standing or walking meetings, ensure ergonomic sit-stand workstations, and allow breaks to break static posture. https://nepjol.info/index.php/IJOSH/article/view/69221Physical activityPhysical load at workhealth workerrisk factorPeru
spellingShingle Irene Condori
Fernando Soncco-Llulluy
Jair Li
Jaime Rosales-Rimache
Factors associated with low physical activity: a cross-sectional study in workers of a Peruvian clinic
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health
Physical activity
Physical load at work
health worker
risk factor
Peru
title Factors associated with low physical activity: a cross-sectional study in workers of a Peruvian clinic
title_full Factors associated with low physical activity: a cross-sectional study in workers of a Peruvian clinic
title_fullStr Factors associated with low physical activity: a cross-sectional study in workers of a Peruvian clinic
title_full_unstemmed Factors associated with low physical activity: a cross-sectional study in workers of a Peruvian clinic
title_short Factors associated with low physical activity: a cross-sectional study in workers of a Peruvian clinic
title_sort factors associated with low physical activity a cross sectional study in workers of a peruvian clinic
topic Physical activity
Physical load at work
health worker
risk factor
Peru
url https://nepjol.info/index.php/IJOSH/article/view/69221
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