Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10620/18051
Longitudinal Study: HILDA
Title: Long working hours and physical activity
Authors: Wooden, Mark 
Wooden, M 
Angrave, David 
Charlwood, Andy 
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 738-744
Keywords: Health
Physical Activity
Work Hours
Leisure Time
Abstract: Background: It is widely believed that persons employed in jobs demanding long working hours are at greater risk of physical inactivity than other workers, primarily because they have less leisure time available to undertake physical activity. The aim of this study was to test this hypothesis using prospective data obtained from a nationally representative sample of employed persons. Methods: Longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey (93 367 observations from 17 893 individuals) were used to estimate conditional fixed effects logistic regression models of the likelihood of moderate or vigorous physical exercise for at least 30 min, at least four times a week. Results: No significant associations between long working hours and the incidence of healthy levels of physical activity were uncovered once other exogenous influences on activity levels were controlled for. The odds of men or women who usually work 60 or more hours per week exercising at healthy levels were 6% and 11% less, respectively, than those of comparable persons working a more standard 35–40 h/week; however, neither estimate was significantly different from 0 at 95% CI. Conclusions: The findings suggest that there is no trade-off between long working hours and physical activity in Australia. It is argued that these findings are broadly consistent with previous research studies from Anglo-Saxon countries (where long working hours are pervasive) that employed large nationally representative samples.
URL: http://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2015/03/12/jech-2014-205230.full?cited-by=yes;jech-2014-205230v1
Keywords: Health -- Physical activity; Employment -- Work/life Balance; Actvities -- Leisure and lifestyle; Employment -- Hours
Research collection: Journal Articles
Appears in Collections:Journal Articles

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