Work Physical Activity Research Articles

An exploratory study of moderate physical activity and selected design attribute effects on earmuff attenuation.

Hearing protective devices are tested for their attenuation characteristics under controlled laboratory conditions. Unfortunately, these tests overestimate the typical attenuation performance of the devices in the field, posing the possibility of inadequate protection for the user. Many factors may affect achieved in-field attenuation. This research investigated the influence of the user's work-related movement and variations in headband compression force and earcup cushion material (liquid- or foam-filled) on the frequency-specific noise attenuation achieved with earmuffs. Real-ear attenuation at threshold (REAT) testing procedures were used to collect attenuation data on 24 subjects both prior to and following completion of a simulated work task. Statistical analyses indicated that moderate work-related movement significantly decreased low-frequency attenuation but by only a small amount (1.5 dB at 125 Hz). A high headband compression force was found to increase attenuation by approximately 1.5 to 4 dB at 125, 250, 500, and 8000 Hz. There was no significant difference at any frequency between cushion types. The results indicate a small effect of moderate physical work activity on hearing protector effectiveness and illustrate the importance of certain earmuff design parameters to achieved attenuation.

Felling work, low-back pain and osteoarthritis.

Low-back pain and the occurrence of osteoarthritis were investigated among 226 lumberjacks employed in felling work for an average of 20 a. The reference group comprised 98 persons involved in either light physical work or office activities. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with regard to the occurrence of low-back pain and the subjective degree of low-back pain. According to the radiographic findings the lumberjacks had statistically more occurrences (62%) of disc degeneration than the referents (50%). No association between length of exposure to felling work and the prevalence of lumbar disc degeneration could be established. The occurrence of osteoarthritis in the hip and knee joints of the lumberjacks was 5 and 3% for the lumberjacks and the referents, respectively.

Physical activity and efficiency of mental work.

To investigate the influence of physical activity on the efficiency of mental work 50 Ss between 19 and 21 yr. of age did step-ups (for physical activity) and added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided simple sums of one digit (for mental work). Analysis disclosed a significant ( p < .01) increase in mental work when the physical activity was of 2 and 5 min. duration and significant ( p < .01) decrease when the physical activity was of 10 and 15 min. duration.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ASSESSMENT: BY RECALL RECORDS.

DURING the past century, our way of life has changed enormously. Mechanization has permeated all aspects of modem living, minimizing effort and exertion. The physical demand of our work and even our leisure time activity has undergone tremendous reduction. With these changes in our way of life, frequent and regular exercise has become a factor that must be considered in the maintainence and promotion of positive health. In order to test the relationship between physical activity and health, it is necessary to determine whether a reasonably precise classification of a free-living population into several subgroups based on physical activity is possible. No studies were found in the literature dealing with the validation of a list of questions to appraise the physical activity in a population. To date, most investigators, in need of a measure of physical activity, have developed and employed their own systems of classification.1'2 Most large-scale studies reported have utilized occupational classification only.3-8 At least one epidemiological study has included the assessment of physical activity in both work and leisure.7 Although considerable work has been done in assessing the energy expenditure of specific tasks, only recently have any thorough studies been reported on total daily expenditures. These studies were conducted primarily by investigators in Great Britain8-'0 and Germany.'1 Two methods were employed in determining the time spent in each activity during a 24-hour period; one a timemotion analysis, the other a personal activity diary converted to energy cost by using appropriate tables. Direct measurements of energy expenditure is not feasible in large epidemiologic studies because of technical difficulties and the restrictive effect imposed on behavior of the subjects. The purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) To develop a physical activity recall record, capable of objective scoring and based on a list of questions of physical activity involved in occupation and leisure. The questions should be such that a respondent possessing an ordinary vocabulary can readily understand them. (2) To validate the data obtained on such a self-administered form against information obtained by interview.

The relationship of reported coronary heart disease mortality to physical activity of work.

The relationship of reported coronary heart disease mortality to physical activity of work.

Prevalence and incidence of coronary heart disease in strata of the labor force of a Chicago industrial corporation

1. 1. An epidemiologic analysis of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular-renal diseases was accomplished, utilizing the accumulated medical and personnel records on the entire male labor force aged 50 to 59 years (784 men) of a Chicago utility company. 2. 2. Observed prevalence and incidence rates for coronary heart disease were 71/1,000 and 61/1,000 for 4 years, respectively. 3. 3. The over-all mortality rate from coronary heart disease was 25/1,000 for 4. 4 years. The mortality rate in those free of coronary heart disease at the onset of the study was 17/1,000 for 4 years. Of all deaths, 47 per cent occurred suddenly. 5. 4. Hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and suspected coronary heart disease were associated with increased incidence rates of definite coronary heart disease. 6. 5. Prevalence rates of hypertension and obesity were similar in sociologic subgroups of the total population under study. Sociologic stratifications were made based on nativity, residence, military experience, education, occupation, physical activity of work, indoor versus outdoor work, and type and amount of income. 7. 6. Coronary heart disease incidence rates were similar in the sociologic subgroups, with the exception that significantly lower rates were observed in the foreign-born than in the native-born. Coronary heart disease incidence rates are high in all strata of the middle-aged male population in the United States.

Mortality from coronary heart disease and physical activity of work in California

A gradient of decreasing mortality rates from coronary heart disease with increasing physical activity of work in middle-aged men, reported from England, is confirmed under special conditions in California data for 1949 to 1951. The California gradient is clearly revealed only in contrasts between occupational groups of similar general mortality risk. The evidence for a social class gradient of coronary mortality in California is revealed in the same way, although it too is readily apparent in British studies without controlling general mortality risk. Earlier studies in the United States, which failed to confirm British results, have not included an analysis of general mortality. The apparently greater risk of coronary mortality in sedentary workers compared to heavy workers is of moderate degree, about 40 per cent for occupations at average general mortality risk in the California data. Factors which increase the general mortality risk, and which had obscured the physical activity association, seem to account for as much coronary mortality as that possibly attributed to a limitation of physical activity in work.

STUDIES IN ATHEROSCLEROSIS. III. AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN TRAPPIST AND BENEDICTINE MONKS: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

Excerpt Prior to World War II, atherosclerosis was regarded primarily as an aging process, rather than as a disease entity. Although chemical analyses of atheromata by Windaus in 19101revealed thei...

Occupation and coronary heart disease.

An alternative title to my paper might be pathology of or, even, occupational hazards of sedentary and light work. Technical development has involved a drastic reduction of physical activity in work, in transportation, and probably in leisure too. Indications are that this trend will continue and increase. Up to now, most investigations of it as a health problem have related to activity and inactivity of jobs. Some current epidemiologic studies in the Social Medicine Research Unit of the British Medical Research Council will be reported. 1 Coronary Heart Disease in London Busmen Studies of coronary heart disease among London busmen begun in 1949 showed almost at once that the drivers suffered more commonly from sudden death due to coronary heart disease than the conductors (ticket collectors) of these double-decker vehicles. 2 Data have now accumulated for 10 years (Table 1). This shows that, under 50 years of age, drivers

Coronary heart disease and physical activity of work; evidence of a national necropsy survey.

Coronary heart disease and physical activity of work; evidence of a national necropsy survey.

The relation of physical activity and occupation to coronary artery heart disease.

Article1 November 1954THE RELATION OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND OCCUPATION TO CORONARY ARTERY HEART DISEASEJOSEPH G. BENTON, Ph.D., M.D., HOWARD A. RUSK, M.D., F.A.C.P.JOSEPH G. BENTON, Ph.D., M.D.Search for more papers by this author, HOWARD A. RUSK, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-41-5-910 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptINTRODUCTIONIt has been suggested that there has been an increased incidence of coronary artery heart disease in recent years. This disease of modern civilization has assumed prominence during a period in which heavy labor is less common and length of work hours has decreased; while other pressures have increased. Constitutional factors are important in coronary artery heart disease, but there is also evidence of variation of its incidence with environment. In addition, its relationship to physical effort is highly controversial, with, in many instances, significant medicolegal connotations.Special interest in the general area of physical activity and coronary artery...Bibliography1. ParkinsonBedford JDE: Cardiac infarction and coronary thrombosis, Lancet 1: 4, 1928. CrossrefGoogle Scholar2. Luten D: Contributory factors in coronary occlusion, Am. Heart J. 7: 36, 1931. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. MasterDackJaffe AMSHJ: Factors and events associated with onset of coronary thrombosis, J. A. M. A. 109: 546, 1937. CrossrefGoogle Scholar4. MasterDackFieldHorn AMSLEH: The diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease, J. A. M. A. 141: 887, 1949. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. MasterJaffe AMHJ: Factors in the onset of coronary occlusion and coronary insufficiency, effort, occupation, trauma and emotion, J. A. M. A. 148: 794, 1952. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. FitzhughHamilton GBE: Coronary occlusion and fatal angina pectoris. 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MorrisHeadyRaffelRobertsParks JNJAPACGJW: Coronary heart-disease and physical activity of work, Lancet 2: 1053 (Nov. 21) 1953. CrossrefGoogle Scholar17. MorrisHeadyRaffelRobertsParks JNJAPACGJW: Coronary heart-disease and physical activity of work, Lancet 2: 1111 (Nov. 28) 1953. CrossrefGoogle Scholar18. MorrisHeadyBarley JNJARG: Coronary heart disease in medical practitioners, Brit. M. J. 1: 503, 1952. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar19. DublinSpiegelman LIM: The longevity and mortality of American physicians 1938-1942. A preliminary report, J. A. M. A. 134: 1211 (Aug. 9) 1947. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar20. DublinSpiegelman LIM: Mortality of medical specialists 1938-1942, J. A. M. A. 137: 1519 (Aug. 21) 1948. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: New York, N. Y.*Presented as a Morning Lecture at the Thirty-fifth Annual Session of the American College of Physicians, Chicago, Illinois, April 7, 1954.From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, New York University-Bellevue Medical Center, New York, N. Y. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byFormation of New Cardiomyocytes in ExercisePlasma cholesterol and phospholipids in various occupational groupsSome behavioural and other correlates of cholesterol metabolismCardiac adrenergic preponderance due to lack of physical exercise and its pathogenic implications∗Coronary heart diseaseThe physique of bus and truck drivers: With a review of occupational anthropology 1 November 1954Volume 41, Issue 5Page: 910-917KeywordsCoronary arteriesCoronary artery heart diseaseExerciseRehabilitation medicine ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 November 1954 PDF downloadLoading ...

Mortality in relation to the physical activity of work: a preliminary note on experience in middle age.

Mortality in relation to the physical activity of work: a preliminary note on experience in middle age.