Physical activity levels of allied health professionals working in a large Australian metropolitan health district – an observational study

Figures & data

Table 1 Allied health participants’ demographic data (N=126)

Variables	Categories	Mean (SD)
Age (years)		35 (12)
BMI (kg/m^2)		23 (4)
Years working as an allied health professional		11 (10)
Variables		n (%)
Gender	Male	30 (24)
	Female	96 (76)
Employment status	Full-time	100 (79)
	Part-time	26 (21)
Allied health discipline	Physiotherapy	54 (43)
	Occupational therapy	26 (20)
	Nutrition and dietetics	15 (12)
	Psychology	11 (9)
	Pharmacy	6 (5)
	Speech pathology	5 (4)
	Radiography	4 (3)
	Podiatry	3 (2)
	Social work	2 (2)
Job classification	Managerial	10 (8)
	Inpatient/outpatient	99 (79)
	Community based	17 (13)
Senioritya	Junior staff	71 (56)
	Senior staff	55 (44)
Job is active/inactive	Active	91 (72)
	Inactive	35 (28)

Note:

a Seniority, ≥ level 3 or ≥ grade 2 or ≥ senior clinical psychologist.

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.

Table 2 Allied health participants’ ActiGraph (GT1M) PA data (N=126)

Total PA/day	Statistics	% of recommended PA/daya	Work PA/day	Statistics	% of recommended PA/daya
PA categories (mins)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	PA categories (mins)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Sedentary	1,117 (61)		Sedentary	336 (61)
Light	270 (58)		Light	153 (54)
Moderate	47 (21)		Moderate	22 (11)
Vigorous	4 (6)		Vigorous	1 (2)
Very vigorous	0 (1)		Very vigorous	0 (0)
MVPA (mins)	51 (23)	171 (78)	MVPA (mins)	23 (11)	76 (38)
Steps	10,077 (2766)	100 (28)	Steps	5,372 (1,842)	54 (18)

Note:

a Recommended daily PA level: 30 minutes of MVPA/day,^1,14 10,000 steps/day.¹⁸

Abbreviations: MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; PA, physical activity.

Figure 1 Bland–Altman plots examining the agreement of statistically significant intraclass correlation coefficient data assessed with the ActiGraph and self-report questionnaires (N=126).

Notes: unbroken line = mean difference; dashed line = coefficient of variability (±1.96×SD); x-axis = mean of respective variables; y-axis = mean difference between respective variables.
Abbreviations: AAS, Active Australia Survey; PA, physical activity; MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; OSPAQ, Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Table 3 Allied health participants’ summary of self-report PA questionnaires (N=126)

Self-report Questionnaires	Frequency/week	Mins/week	METmins/week
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
A) Active Australia Survey (AAS) (n=126)
Walking	11 (7)	222 (187)
Moderate PA	1 (2)	46 (78)
Vigorous PA	3 (3)	137 (147)
aOverall calculated PA score			1,878 (1,436)
B) International Physical Activity Questionnaire Long form (IPAQ-L) (n=126)
Work
Walking	3 (3)	31 (41)	485 (720)
Moderate PA	2 (2)	28 (50)	512 (1,003)
Vigorous PA	1 (2)	11 (26)	383 (1,064)
Total			1,380 (2,138)
Transport
Travel in a motor vehicle	5 (2)	74 (54)	N/A
Walking	4 (3)	32 (23)	575 (545)
Cycling	1 (1)	7 (23)	141 (439)
Total			716 (641)
Domestic and garden
Moderate yard chores	1 (2)	24 (38)	232 (522)
Moderate inside chores	2 (2)	44 (42)	357 (481)
Vigorous yard chores	0 (1)	10 (32)	103 (374)
Total			692 (957)
Leisure
Walking	2 (2)	35 (40)	358 (452)
Moderate	1 (1)	17 (31)	161 (366)
Vigorous	2 (2)	39 (46)	1,005 (1,500)
Total			1,524 (1,767)
Overall PA		325 (190)	4,311 (3,632)
Sitting		322 (173)
C) Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity questionnaire (OSPAQ) (n=126)
	% of time at work	Mins/work day
	Mean (SD)	Mean (SD)
Sitting	49 (29)	249 (146)
Standing	24 (18)	123 (91)
Walking	23 (16)	115 (79)
Heavy labor	4 (8)	22 (38)

Note:

a Calculated PA score = (walking mins × 3.0 METs) + (moderate intensity activity mins × 4.0 METS) + (vigorous intensity mins × 7.5 METS).⁵⁶

Abbreviations: MET, metabolic equivalent task; PA, physical activity; N/A, not applicable.

Table 4 Level of agreement between self-report PA questionnaires and ActiGraph PA measures (N=126)

A) Active Australia Survey (AAS) responses vs ActiGraph MVPA measures (n=126)
AAS categories (mins/day)	Mean (SD)	ActiGraph (mins/day)	Mean (SD)	ICC (95% CI)	P-value	Mean diff (95% CI) (mins/day)	t-testa	P-value	Spearman’s rho	P-value
MVPA (walking + moderate + vigorous PA)	58 (41)	Total MVPA	51 (24)	0.44 (0.20–0.60)	<0.01	7 (0–14)	1.9	0.06	0.41	<0.01
B) Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ) vs ActiGraph work measures (n=126)
OSPAQ categories (mins/work day)	Mean (SD)	ActiGraph (mins/day)	Mean (SD)	ICC (95% CI)	P-value	Mean diff (95% CI) (mins/day)	t-testa	P-value	Spearman’s rho	P-value
MVPA (walking + heavy labor)	137 (95)	Work MVPA	23 (11)	0.05 (−0.11–0.20)	0.27	114 (98–131)	13.8	<0.01	0.20	0.03
Sitting	249 (146)	Work sedentary time	336 (62)	0.51 (0.11–0.71)	<0.01	−87 (−188 to −67)	–8.3	<0.01	0.64	<0.01
Standing	123 (91)	Work light PA	153 (54)	0.54 (0.34–0.68)	<0.01	−30 (−44 to −15)	−4.1	<0.01	0.57	<0.01
Walking	115 (79)	Work moderate PA	22 (11)	0.04 (−0.11–0.20)	0.30	93 (80–107)	13.5	<0.01	0.17	0.05
Heavy labor	22 (38)	Work ≥ vigorous PA	0.7 (2)	−0.02 (−0.32–0.23)	0.54	21 (14–28)	6.1	<0.01	–0.16	0.07
C) International Physical Activity Questionnaire Long form (IPAQ-L) vs ActiGraph measures (n=126)
IPAQ categories (mins/day)	Mean (SD)	ActiGraph (mins/day)	Mean (SD)	ICC (95% CI)	P-value	Mean diff (95% CI) (mins/day)	t-testa	P-value	Spearman’s rho	P-value
IPAQ work MVPA (walk + moderate + vigorous)	46 (67)	Work MVPA	23 (11)	0.14 (−0.18–0.38)	0.18	23 (12–35)	4.1	<0.01	0.24	<0.01
IPAQ total MVPA (walk + moderate + vigorous)	142 (108)	Total MVPA	51 (24)	0.13 (−0.12–0.34)	0.10	90 (72–109)	9.8	<0.01	0.32	<0.01

Note:

a Dependent samples t-test statistics with degrees of freedom = 125.

Abbreviations: ICC, intraclass correlation coefficient; MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; PA, physical activity; diff, difference.

World Health OrganizationGlobal recommendations on physical activity for health2010 Available from: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/44399/1/9789241599979_eng.pdf158Accessed January 28, 2018

 Google Scholar

HaskellWLLeeIMPateRRPhysical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart AssociationMed Sci Sports Exerc20073981423143417762377

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Tudor-LockeCCraigCLBrownWJHow many steps/day are enough? For adultsInt J Behav Nutr Phys Act201181797921798015

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

BrownWJBurtonNWMarshallALMillerYDReliability and validity of a modified self-administered version of the Active Australia physical activity survey in a sample of mid-age womenAust N Z J Public Health200832653554119076744

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar