AUTHOR=Abe Takafumi , Okuyama Kenta , Motohiro Atsushi , Shiratsuchi Daijo , Isomura Minoru 

TITLE=Combined associations of regular exercise and work-related moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with occupational stress responses: a cross-sectional study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2024.1386775

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2024.1386775

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>The association between work-related moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and higher levels of stress response is recognized, but whether this association is moderated by regular exercise remains unclear. This cross-sectional study investigated whether exercise-based physical activity (PA) associates with lower levels of stress responses moderated by work-related MVPA.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>The study participants comprised 863 workers from 35 small and medium-sized enterprises in Shimane prefecture, Japan, collected through convenient sampling from April 2021 to August 2022. The Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to assess stress responses. Work-related MVPA and exercise-based PA were measured using questionnaires. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the combined variables of work-related MVPA and exercise-based PA. The reference group had no weekly exercise-based PA and &gt;60 min of work-related MVPA.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>When work-related MVPA exceeded 60 min/day, flexibility activity or walking for ≥5 days/week (<italic>B </italic>= −3.53, 95% CI = −5.96, −1.11; <italic>B </italic>= −2.53, 95% CI = −4.90, −0.16) and muscle-strengthening activity 1–3 times/week (<italic>B </italic>= −3.52, 95% CI = −6.91, −0.12) were significantly associated with lower psychological stress response. Flexibility activity (<italic>B </italic>= −1.74, 95% CI = −3.01, −0.46) showed a similar link with physical stress response. When work-related MVPA was below 60 min/day, flexibility activity (<italic>B </italic>= −3.23, 95% CI = −6.01, −0.44; <italic>B </italic>= −3.29, 95% CI = −5.94, −0.63) or walking (<italic>B </italic>= −4.03, 95% CI = −6.62, −1.45; <italic>B </italic>= −3.10, 95% CI = −5.76, −0.44) practice 1–4 times/week and ≥5 times/week was significantly associated with lower psychological stress response.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Exercise-based PA greatly and consistently associates with a lower level of stress responses moderated by work-related MVPA.</p></sec>