Associations of occupational and leisure-time physical activity with self-rated health in Korea

Abstract

Recent findings have suggested that not all physical activity (PA) types improve health and that the health effects of occupational PA (OPA) and leisure-time PA (LTPA) can be different. However, few studies have been reported the association of OPA and LTPA with self-rated health (SRH). Therefore, we aimed to examine the association between different PA domains and general health and the impact of LTPA on the relationship between health and OPA. In total, 33440 adults from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014–2019 were analyzed in September 2021. SRH was dichotomized into “poor” and “good.” Sedentary behavior (SB) was evaluated by measuring the daily sitting time. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship of SRH with OPA, LTPA, and SB, stratified by LTPA to identify its impact on the relationship. In the fully adjusted model, OPA was found to increase the risk of poor SRH, while LTPA was found to lower the risk. In those who did not engage in LTPA, OPA and poor SRH were significantly associated. Poor SRH was not significantly associated with OPA in those who engaged in LTPA. SB was also associated with poor SRH, independent of LTPA. To improve health, it is important to promote LTPA and reduce OPA and SB. In particular, for workers with a higher level of OPA, additional LTPA should be introduced to prevent SRH from worsening.