The impact of occupational sitting time and occupation on cardiometabolic health in Japanese workers

Prolonged sitting time (ST) has been suggested as a risk factor for CVD. Particularly, occupational ST (OST) is determined by occupation-specific activities and can impact the health status of workers. However, there is limited information on the impact of OST across different occupations among Japanese workers. This study aimed to examine how OST and occupation associate to CVD risks.

Using a cross-sectional design, a total of 1874 workers were included in this study. ST was assessed using the Worker's Living Activity-time Questionnaire during working and non-working days. CVD risks were evaluated using a combination of questionnaires and medical checkup records. We conducted multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses to assess the associations between occupations (clerical support, professionals, service, and sales) and OST (categorized as long, middle, or short) with CVD risks. All analyses were adjusted for sex, age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, exercise habits, and either OST or occupation, depending on the primary exposure.

The results indicated that workers in services and sales had significantly lower odds ratios (ORs) for hypertension (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.40–0.69) and CVD risk (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.47–0.78) compared to clerical support, while professionals showed higher ORs for dyslipidemia (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.16–1.91). When analyzed by OST categories, the short OST group showed reduced risks for obesity (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.59–1.00) compared to the long OST group.

This study emphasizes the need to consider both occupation and OST when assessing health risks, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions for specific occupational groups.