PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SITTING DURATIONS AMONG EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES OF MICROENTERPRISES

Background
The durations of sitting and standing/walking in the workplace, moderate/vigorous physical activity (MVPA), structured walking, and sports done by employers and employees of microenterprises were examined in this study.

Material and methods
A total of 306 individuals (123 women and 183 men) voluntarily participated in the study. A demographic information form, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and an occupation-related index and sport index of the Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire (PAAQ) were administered during face-to-face interviews.

Results
The participants were found to spend 4.42 hours sitting and 6.33 hours standing/walking in the workplace. The duration of MVPA among men was longer than among women (p<0.05). The duration of walking among younger participants (30 years and under) was longer than among others. There was no statistically significant difference in the durations of regular exercise between employers and employees (p>0.05). Half of them engaged in structured walking.

Conclusions
Although the participants had an insufficient duration of MVPA, they achieved the WHO’s weekly recommended activity duration by taking part in structured walking. The participants spent more than 6 hours standing/walking in the workplace. This result is classified as low physical activity (LPA), which contributes to total physical activity. The effect of LPA on general health status should be examined in future studies.