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Low physical fitness is one of the major factors contributing to an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and musculoskeletal problems. There is evidence that changes in physical activity that increase physical fitness can decrease that risk. 1
To a large extent, habitual physical activity levels among employees vary depending on the type of work performed. When the work is not of a sedentary nature, a large proportion of habitual physical activity is performed at the workplace. Many employees that are engaged in manual labour are reluctant to participate in recreational sports after an exhausting day at the workplace. Sometimes they assume that they have had enough exercise at the workplace. The problem that arises here concerns the quality of the physical activity performed at the workplace. Does physical activity performed at the workplace have adequate intensity, duration, and volume to effect positive changes in motor and functional abilities? Is it really the case that hard-working men and women need not take part in recreational sports in their leisure time? The aim of this study was to determine the influence of large occupational physical work volumes on motor and functional abilities in men, and to test the hypothesis that physically demanding jobs have a positive influence on the physical fitness of employees.
Main messages
The habitual physical activity performed at the workplace is not related to better physical fitness in men.
The intensity, duration, and volume of the performed physical work are not adequate to induce positive changes in the cardiorespiratory or musculoskeletal systems.
METHODS
The sample comprised 494 men, registered in employment, aged 20-60 years, and resident in the Republic of Croatia. The subjects were sampled by general practitioners. They were asked to send a letter of invitation to every registered employed patient between the ages of 20 and 60. The letter comprised a short description of the procedures, and the time and date of testing. The subjects came from different educational backgrounds and were both smokers and non-smokers. One fifth (21%) of all contacted subjects showed up for testing, which was scheduled in the morning hours. Some subjects had to be excluded because of acute or chronic illness. Also, the subjects that participated regularly in any kind of recreational sport were not...