Physical activity levels of teachers and health professionals in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the physical activity level of teachers and health professionals and to investigate whether there were differences in physical activity level between two separate groups. Method: To determine the physical activity levels International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was applied to 200 teachers (age; 36.28 +/- 6.58) including 92 male and 108 female working in primary schools and 200 health professionals (age; 33.63 +/- 7.55 years) including 62 male and 138 female working in university hospital. The short-form of IPAQ which includes last one week containing the 7 item has been used to determine the physical activity levels. Mann Whitney-U test was used to evaluate the differences between two groups. The relations of parameters, such as profession, age, gender, branch, height, weight, drug alcohol and tobacco use and marital status with Physical Activity level were analyzed by using Chi-Square test. Results: The weekly physical activity score of teachers and health professionals were 1544.58 MET-min/ week and 1986.59 MET-min/ week respectively and no statistically difference was found (p>0.05). Health professionals' walking activity and time of sitting were found higher than teachers (p<0.05 and p<0,01). Physical activity scores were not found significantly different between male teachers and male health professionals (p>0.05). Total physical activity scores, walking activity scores and sitting times were found significantly higher in female health professionals than female teachers (p<0.05; p<0.01). Conclusion: Total physical activity levels of teachers and health professionals were not different and insufficient. The physical activity level increase in teachers and decrease in health professionals with increasing age and with smoking. Gender difference and marriage affects the physical activity level of teachers but does not affect the health professionals. Physical activity level was not different according to drug, alcohol consumption and BMI in both occupation groups. As a result physical activity levels in terms of some variables differed between two professional groups.