The Correlation between Sedentary Behavior by Time Period and Physical Activity and Health Indicators among Japanese Workers

Objectives In order to reduce the sedentary behavior of workers who remain seated for extended periods of time, the correlation between sedentary behavior by time period and health indicators must be investigated. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between the sedentary behavior during work hours or per day and the amount of physical activity and health indicator. Methods Based on an objective measurement method using an accelerometer and Inbody, the correlation among sedentary behavior, amount of physical activity, body fat percentage, muscle mass, and demographic variables in the survey of 101 Japanese workers was analyzed. For the amount of physical activity, a triaxial accelerometer was used to measure light-intensity lifestyle activity [1.6–2.9 metabolic equivalents (METs)], sedentary time (≤1.5 METs), and vigorous physical activity (3 METs or above), which was evaluated every 10 seconds. Results The results reveal that the sedentary behavior by time period is related to gender, age, type of occupation, low-intensity physical activity, and walking time, in which low-intensity physical activity has a greater effect on the sedentary behavior than moderate-intensity or higher physical activity. Specifically, for the sedentary time during work hours, the subjects who perform more low-intensity physical activity had a shorter sedentary time than those who do not (OR = 0.41, 95 % CI = 0.17-0.97), and those who have longer walking times per day had a shorter sedentary time than those who do not (OR = 0.21,95 % CI = 0.62-0.72). Conclusions In order to reduce the SB of workers in the future, research on developing a strategic intervention method based on the results of this study should be conducted.