Abstract
Background/objectivesAn element of obesity prevention is increasing total physical activity energy expenditure. However, this approach does not incorporate the balance of various movement behaviors—physical activity, sedentary behaviors and sleep—across domains of the day. We aimed to identify time-use profiles over work and leisure, termed ‘movement behavior profiles’ and to investigate their association with obesity.Subjects/methodsEight-hundred-and-seven workers completed (a) thigh accelerometry and diaries to determine their 24-h composition of behaviors (sedentary and standing, light physical activity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at work and leisure, and time in bed) and (b) obesity measurements. Movement behavior profiles were determined using latent profile analyses of isometric log-ratios of the 24-h composition, and labeled according to animal movement behavior traits. Linear models were applied to determine the association between profiles and obesity.ResultsFour profiles were identified, labeled as “Chimpanzees” (n = 226), “Lions” (n = 179), “Ants” (n = 244), and “Koalas” (n = 158). “Chimpanzees” work time was evenly distributed between behaviors while their leisure time was predominantly active. Compared to Chimpanzees, “Lions” were more active at work and sedentary during leisure and spent more time in bed; “Ants” were more active at work and during leisure; “Koalas” were more sedentary at work and leisure and spent similar time in bed. With “Chimpanzees” as reference, “Lions” had least favorable obesity indicators: +2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6, 3.4) %body fat, +4.3 cm (1.4, 7.3) waist circumference and +1.0 (2.0, 0.0) Body Mass Index (BMI), followed by “Koalas” +2.0 (0.4, 3.7) %body fat, +3.1 cm (0.1, 6.0) waist circumference, and +0.8 (−0.30, 1.94) BMI. No significant differences were found between “Chimpanzees” and “Ants”.ConclusionsMovement behavior profiles across work and leisure time-use compositions are associated with obesity. Achieving adequate balance between work and leisure movement behaviors should be further investigated as a potential obesity prevention strategy.
Highlights
The worldwide rate of obesity has tripled over the last three decades [1]
The approach of increasing total energy expenditure does not consider domains of movement behaviors over the day. This could be important for obesity prevention as the pattern of movement behaviors, possibilities of variation and recovery and their health effects may depend on the domain in which they occur [10]
The results suggest that obtaining a balance between time spent in physical activity over the main domains of the day whilst allowing for recovery, ought to be considered as a potential obesity prevention approach
Summary
The worldwide rate of obesity has tripled over the last three decades [1]. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults (≥18 years) were overweight, out of which around 650 million were obese [1]. An existing behavioral approach to prevent obesity is to promote higher daily total energy expenditure by increasing the time spent in physical activity and reducing time spent sedentary [6]. This approach does not incorporate the recovery process from daily activities, shown to be of relevance for obesity [7,8,9]. The approach of increasing total energy expenditure does not consider domains (i.e., work and leisure) of movement behaviors over the day This could be important for obesity prevention as the pattern of movement behaviors, possibilities of variation and recovery and their health effects may depend on the domain in which they occur [10]. An obesity prevention approach that accounts for recovery and domains of movement behaviors in a day could be useful
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