WALKING MEETINGS
Changing one seated meeting per week into a walking meeting promotes increased physical activity among white-collar workers, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Study subjects followed a protocol that included guidance for leading meetings and taking notes while walking and wore accelerometers to measure physical activity over a three-week period. The average combined moderate/vigorous physical activity reported by participants increased from 107 minutes in the first week to 117 minutes in the third week.
For overall cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least five days a week for a total of 150 minutes for adults; or at least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity three days per week for a total of 75 minutes; or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity and moderate-to-high intensity muscle-strengthening activity at least two days per week for additional benefits.
Citation: Opportunities for Increased Physical Activity in the Workplace: the Walking Meeting Pilot Study, 2015; Kling HE, et al.; Preventing Chronic Disease, Vol. 13, June 23, 2016; www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2016/16_0111.htm
SEDENTARY WORK INTERVENTIONS
Researchers evaluated the impact of interventions on occupational sedentary/physical activity behaviors, cardio-metabolic disease biomarkers, musculoskeletal discomfort, and productivity in a study considered relevant to the well-being of white-collar workers.
Overweight/obese adults working in sedentary desk jobs were placed in either a health protection-only (HPO) group or an integrated health protection/health promotion (HP/HP) group. HPO participants received an ergonomic workstation optimization intervention and three e-mails per week promoting rest breaks and posture variation. HP/HP participants received the HPO intervention and access to a seated, activity-permissive workstation.
Occupational sedentary and physical activity behaviors (primary outcomes), cardio-metabolic measures, musculoskeletal discomfort, and work productivity (secondary outcomes) were measured at baseline and post-intervention at 16 weeks. The HP/HP group increased occupational light intensity physical activity over the HPO group and used the activity permissive workstations 50 minutes/work day. Significant associations were observed between activity-permissive workstation adherence and improvements in several cardio-metabolic biomarkers (weight, total fat mass, resting heart rate, body fat percentage) and work productivity outcomes (concentration at work and absence because of health problems).
Citation: Total Worker Health Intervention Increases Activity of Sedentary Workers; Carr LJ, et al.; American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Vol. 50, No., 1, Jan. 2016; www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(15)00332-3/abstract
AGING AND RETIREMENT
Many U.S. workers are postponing retirement. It is often assumed that white-collar workers can more easily extend their careers than blue-collar workers who have more physically demanding jobs. However, that may be a misperception.
While blue-collar workers are more likely to rely on physical abilities such as strength and flexibility and develop disabling conditions such as arthritis, white-collar workers who depend on fluid cognitive abilities such as memory, quick mental and physical reaction times, good sight and fine motor skills also face the prospect of earlier retirement.
In a Boston College Center for Retirement Research brief, researchers concluded: “The notion that all white-collar workers can work longer or that all blue-collar workers cannot is too simplistic. Instead, it is important to consider the particular abilities required by an occupation and whether these abilities decline significantly by the time workers reach typical retirement ages.”
The brief features a “Susceptibility Index” that estimates how physical and cognitive abilities required by an occupation are likely to decline during a career. The index can be used to answer questions such as: are blue-collar jobs really harder to do with age relative to white-collar jobs? Which white-collar jobs have high index values? What types of occupations are likely to have more early retirees? For example, airline pilots (white collar) and assemblers (blue collar) are more susceptible to early retirement than sales representatives and child-care workers.
Citations: 1. Arthritis, Occupational Class, and the Aging US Workforce; Caban-Martinez A; et al.; American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 101, No. 9, 2011; 10.2105/ AJPH.2011.300173
2. How Do Job Skills That Decline With Age Affect White-Collar Workers? Belbase A, Sanzenbacher G, Gillis C; Trustees of Boston College, Center for Retirement Research, ©2016; http://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/ uploads/2016/04/IB_16-6.pdf
