Top

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

Published in:

Open Access 01-04-2021 | Affective Disorder | Original Article

Physical activity and ability to meet different work requirements among adult working men with or without current depressive symptoms

Authors: Ville Päivärinne, Marie Thodén, Hannu Kautiainen, Jari Arokoski, Hannu Koponen, Ari Heinonen, Ilkka Kiviranta

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 3/2021

Abstract

Purpose

To examine the relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and ability to meet different work requirements among adult working men with or without current depressive symptoms.

Methods

We measured LTPA with the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The Work Ability Index (WAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to assess the work ability and depression of 921 Finnish employed male volunteers. Participants were divided into three groups according to the WAI for their work requirements: mental (MENT), physical (PHYS), and an equal amount of mental and physical work (BTH).

Results

When adjusted for age, BMI and employment years, there was a significant difference in weekly LTPA between WAI groups {p = 0.003, [F (2902) = 5.58]}, but not for depression. It appeared that participants with depressive symptoms scored lower WAI in each group regardless of LTPA. In addition, a linear relationship was found between higher LTPA and WAI in nondepressed workers in the PHYS [p = 0.011, β = 0.10 (95% CI 0.03–0.18)] and BTH [p = 0.027, β = 0.19 (95% CI 0.03–0.34)] groups. Among workers with depressive symptoms, similar linearity was found in BTH [p = 0.003, β = 0.20 (95% CI 0.03–0.55)]. In group-wise comparison, work requirements {p = 0.001, [F (2902) = 11.2]} and depressive symptoms {p < 0.001, [F (1902) = 177.0]} related with lower WAI.

Conclusion

Depressive symptoms were associated with lower work ability regardless of the job description. Therefore, higher levels of weekly LTPA was linked with better work ability among nondepressed working men. Workers with depressive symptoms in jobs that require extensive mental or physical work might need more than exercise to improve work ability.

Available only for authorised users

American Psychiatric Association (2000) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV-TR, 4th edn. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, USA

Aromaa A, Koskinen S (2004). Health and Functional capacity in Finland: baseline results of the health 2000 health examination survey. Publications of the National Public Health Institute. https://www.ktl.fi/health2000/index.uk.html. Accessed 11 Jun 2020

Asztalos M, Wijndaele K, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Philippaerts R, Matton L, Duvigneaud N et al (2008) Specific associations between types of physical activity and components of mental health. J Sci Med Sport 12(4):468–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2008.06.009CrossRef

Asztalos M, Wijndaele K, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Philippaerts R, Matton L, Duvigneaud N et al (2012) Sport participation and stress among women and men. Psychol Sport Exerc 13(4):466–483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2012.01.003CrossRef

Battams S, Roche A, Fischer J, Lee N, Cameron J, Kostadinov V (2014) Workplace risk factors for anxiety and depression in male-dominated industries: a systematic review. Health Psychol Behav Med 2(1):983–1008. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2014.954579CrossRef

Beck A, Ward C, Mendelson M, Mock J, Erbaugh J (1961) An inventory for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 4(6):561–571. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1961.01710120031004CrossRef

Chekroud S, Chekroud A, Gueorguieva R, Zheutlin A, Paulus M, Krumholz H et al (2018) Association between physical exercise and mental health in 1·2 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: a cross-sectional study. Lancet Psychiatry 5(9):739–746. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(18)30227-xCrossRef

Coenen P, Huysmans M, Holtermann A, Krause N, Mechelen W, Straker L et al (2018) Do highly physically active workers die early? A systematic review with meta-analysis of data from 193 696 participants. Br J Sports Med 52(20):1320–1326. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098540CrossRef

Cooney G, Dwan K, Greig C, Lawlor D, Rimer J, Waugh F et al (2013) Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 12(9):140–147. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd004366.pub6CrossRef

Craig C, Marshall A, Sjostrom M, Bauman A, Booth M, Ainsworth B et al (2003) International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 35(8):1381–1395CrossRef

Gould R, Ilmarinen J, Järvisalo J, Koskinen S (2008) Dimensions of work ability—results of the health 2000 survey. Waasa Graphics Oy, Vaasa, Finland, Helsinki, Finland

Hagströmer M, Oja P, Sjöström M (2006) The international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ): a study of concurrent and construct validity. Public Health Nutr 9(6):755–762. https://doi.org/10.1079/phn2005898CrossRef

Hakanen J, Schaufeli W (2012) Do burnout and work engagement predict depressive symptoms and life satisfaction? A three-wave seven-year prospective study. J Affect Disord 141(2–3):415–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.02.043CrossRef

Hawker MS, Kendzerska T, French M (2011) Measures of adult pain: visual analog scale for pain (VAS pain), numeric rating scale for pain (NRS pain), McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ), short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ), chronic pain grade scale (CPGS), short form-36 bodily pain scale (SF-36 BPS), and measure of intermittent and constant osteoarthritis pain (ICOAP). Arthritis Care Res 63(11):240–252. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.20543CrossRef

Ilmarinen J, Tuomi K, Seitsamo J (2005) New dimensions of work ability. Int Cong Ser 1280:3–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ics.2005.02.060CrossRef

International Physical Activity Questionnaire team (2005). Guidelines for data processing and analysis of the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ)—Short and long forms. Available at: https://sites.google.com/site/theipaq/scoring-protocol. Accessed 10 Dec 2019

James S, Abate K, Abate D, Abay S, Abbafati C, Abbasi N et al (2018) Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2017. Lancet 392(10159):1789–1858. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(18)32279-7CrossRef

Kauhanen J, Julkunen J, Salonen JT (1992) Coping with inner feelings and stress: heavy alcohol use in the context of alexithymia. Behav Med 18(3):121–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.1992.9936962CrossRef

Krogh J, Saltin B, Gluud C, Nordentoft M (2009) The DEMO trial: a randomized, parallel-group, observer-blinded clinical trial of strength versus aerobic versus relaxation training for patients with mild to moderate depression. J Clin Psychiatry 70(6):790–800. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.08m04241CrossRef

Kull M, Ainsaar M, Kiive E, Raudsepp L (2012) Relationship between low depressiveness and domain specific physical activity in women. Health Care Women Int 33(5):457–472. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399332.2011.645968CrossRef

Kuwahara K, Honda T, Nakagawa T, Yamamoto S, Akter S, Hayashi T et al (2015) Associations of leisure-time, occupational, and commuting physical activity with risk of depressive symptoms among Japanese workers: a cohort study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 12(1):119. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-015-0283-4CrossRef

Lee S, Lim J, Kim B, Cho S, Kim N, Kim O, Kim Y (2017) The association between loss of work ability and depression: a focus on employment status. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 90(1):109–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-016-1178-7CrossRef

Lundin A, Leijon O, Vaez M, Hallgren M, Torgen M (2017) Predictive validity of the work ability index and its individual items in the general population. Scand J Public Health 45(4):350–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494817702759CrossRef

Lusa S, Punakallio A, Mänttäri S, Korkiakangas E, Oksa J, Oksanen T et al (2020) Interventions to promote work ability by increasing sedentary workers’ physical activity at workplaces—a scoping review. Appl Ergon 82:102962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2019.102962CrossRef

Malhi G, Bassett D, Boyce P, Bryant R, Fitzgerald P, Fritz K et al (2015) Royal australian and new zealand college of psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for mood disorders. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 49(12):1087–1206. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867415617657CrossRef

Mammen G, Faulkner G (2013) Physical activity and the prevention of depression: a systematic review of prospective studies. Am J Prev Med 45(5):649–657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2013.08.001CrossRef

McIntyre R, Liauw S, Taylor V (2011) Depression in the workforce: the intermediary effect of medical comorbidity. J Affect Disord 128:29–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0165-0327(11)70006-4CrossRef

McKercher C, Schmidt M, Sanderson K, Patton G, Dwyer T, Venn A (2009) Physical activity and depression in young adults. Am J Prev Med 36(2):161–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2008.09.036CrossRef

Nieuwenhuijsen K, Faber B, Verbeek J, Neumeyer-Gromen A, Hees H, Verhoeven A et al (2014) Interventions to improve return to work in depressed people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 3(12):CD006237. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd006237.pub3CrossRef

Päivärinne V, Kautiainen H, Heinonen A, Kiviranta I (2018) Relations between subdomains of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, and quality of life in young adult men. Scand J Med Sci Sports 28(4):1389–1396. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13003CrossRef

Päivärinne V, Kautiainen H, Heinonen A, Kiviranta I (2019) Relationships of leisure-time physical activity and work ability between different occupational physical demands in adult working men. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 92(5):739–746. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-019-01410-xCrossRef

Pinto Pereira S, Geoffroy M, Power C (2014) Depressive symptoms and physical activity during 3 decades in adult life: bidirectional associations in a prospective cohort study. JAMA Psychiatry 71(12):1373–1380. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.1240CrossRef

Rautio M, Michelsen T (2014) WAI-how to use the work ability index questionnaire. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health 2nd revised edition, Tammerprint Oy, Tampere, Finland

Roche A, Pidd K, Fischer J, Lee N, Scarfe A, Kostadinov V (2016) Men, work, and mental health: a systematic review of depression in male-dominated industries and occupations. Saf Health Work 7(4):268–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2016.04.005CrossRef

Schuch F, Stubbs B (2019) The role of exercise in preventing and treating depression. Curr Sports Med Rep 18(8):299–304. https://doi.org/10.1249/jsr.0000000000000620CrossRef

Schuch F, Vancampfort D, Richards J, Rosenbaum S, Ward P, Stubbs B (2016) Exercise as a treatment for depression: a meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. J Psychiatr Res 77:42–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.02.023CrossRef

Schuch F, Dunn A, Kanitz A, Delevatti R, Fleck M (2016) Moderators of response in exercise treatment for depression: a systematic review. J Affect Disord 195:40–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.01.014CrossRef

Taylor T (2012) Ceiling effect. Encyclopedia of research design. SAGE Publications Inc., Thousand Oaks, California, USA, pp 132–134

Tennant C (2001) Work-related stress and depressive disorders. J Psychosom Res 51(5):697–704. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(01)00255-0CrossRef

Teychenne M, Ball K, Salmon J (2008) Physical activity and likelihood of depression in adults: a review. Prev Med 46(5):397–411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2008.01.009CrossRef

van den Berg T, Elders L, de Zwart B, Burdorf A (2009) The effects of work-related and individual factors on the work ability index: a systematic review. Occup Environ Med 66(4):211–220. https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.2008.039883CrossRef

Warburton D, Nicol C, Bredin S (2006) Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ 174(6):801–809. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.051351CrossRef

White R, Babic M, Parker P, Lubans D, Astell-Burt T, Lonsdale C (2017) Domain-specific physical activity and me ntal health: a meta-analysis. Am J Prev Med 52(5):653–666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2016.12.008CrossRef

Wittchen H, Jacobi F, Rehm J, Gustavsson A, Svensson M, Jönsson B et al (2011) The size and burden of mental disorders and other disorders of the brain in Europe 2010. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 21(9):655–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2011.07.018CrossRef

World Health Organization (2017). Depression and other common mental disorders—Global health estimates. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/254610/WHO-MSD-MER-2017.2-eng.pdf. Accessed 10 Dec 2019

Title: Physical activity and ability to meet different work requirements among adult working men with or without current depressive symptoms
Authors: Ville Päivärinne
Marie Thodén
Hannu Kautiainen
Jari Arokoski
Hannu Koponen
Ari Heinonen
Ilkka Kiviranta
Publication date: 01-04-2021
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: Affective Disorder
Affective Disorder
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 3/2021
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01595-6

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Physical activity and ability to meet different work requirements among adult working men with or without current depressive symptoms

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2021

Surface-acting emotional labor predicts depressive symptoms among health care workers over a 2-year prospective study

Monitoring heat strain: the effect of sensor type and location on single-site and mean skin temperature during work in the heat

Description and application of a method to quantify criterion-related cut-off values for questionnaire-based psychosocial risk assessment

SARS-CoV-2: an occupational hazard presenting challenges for low- and middle-income countries

Correction to: The association between occupational categories and grip strength in Korean male workers

Association of occupational burnout and occupational exposure factors on psychological health among factory workers and miners: a propensity score analysis