A 24-h assessment of physical activity and cardio-respiratory fitness among female hospital cleaners: A pilot study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of methods for objective 24-h sampling of physical activity among cleaners. Twenty cleaners participated in three 24-h measurements. Amount of steps, heart rate (HR), cardio-respiratory fitness, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure were measured. The methods were feasible for the objective 24-h sampling of physical activity and cardio-respiratory fitness among cleaners. Measurements showed that the cleaners walked 20,198 ± 4,627 steps per day. During working hours, the average cardio-respiratory load was 25 ± 6% of heart rate reserve (HRR). The cleaners had a low estimated cardio-respiratory fitness (34 mlO₂/kg/min), a high BMI (50%, >25 kg/m²) and blood pressure (50%, >120/>80 mmHg). The high amount of steps, the relatively high cardiovascular load at work and low cardio-respiratory fitness illustrate the need for further investigation of the relationship between physical activity at work and in leisure, and cardiovascular health in this population.

Practitioner Summary: This study evaluated the feasibility of methods for objective 24-h sampling of physical activity among cleaners; the methods used were found to be feasible. The cleaners had a high cardiovascular load at work and low cardio-respiratory fitness, suggesting that there is a need for further investigations.

Keywords:

• occupational physical activity
• occupational health
• heart rate reserve
• steps per day
• cardio-respiratory fitness
• feasibility

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to the participating cleaners and the leadership of the cleaning section of the hospital for making this study possible, and also to Dorte Ekner for support with logistics and protocols, and to Suzanne Scott for revising the manuscript. Financial support for measurement and test equipment was obtained from The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark and the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Section of Human Physiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.