Physical activity in healthy urban adults and its association with body composition parameters

Abstract

An adequate amount of physical activity (PA) in adults improves cardio-respiratory fitness, metabolic health and helps maintain a normal body weight and composition. Here we examined sex- and occupation-related PA patterns and their association with body composition parameters. Healthy volunteers (n = 97) aged 21–49 years completed a self-administered PA questionnaire and characterized their occupational duties depending on the volume of the physical work involved. A bio-impedance analyser was used to determine body composition. Men reported more metabolic equivalent of task (MET) minutes/week of vigorous PA than women (p < 0.05). Participants with low occupational PA had less walking, moderate and total MET minutes/week, and more sitting time than those with moderate and vigorous occupational PA (p < 0.05), but their body composition parameters did not differ. In males, negative correlations were found between body fat percentage, visceral fat range, segmental fat mass, and moderate MET minutes/week, whereas positive associations were observed between muscle mass in legs and vigorous MET minutes/week (p<0.05). In females, negative correlations were found between visceral fat and vigorous MET minutes/week but positive – between lean body mass, trunk and leg muscle mass, and moderate PA (p < 0.05). These observed associations might be used to develop interventions to promote sex- and occupation-specific PA.