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Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

WR1_2_3: Abstract presentations: Active Living Across Settings: Work, Travel and Everyday Life
Location: White room 1
Session Chair: Ilkka Väänänen

Presentation 1

2:10pm - 2:20pm

Joint associations of device-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and overweight with work ability in the Finnish adult population

Jouni Lahti¹, Antti Löppönen², Valtteri Pohjola¹, Katariina Sarttila¹, Annamari Lundqvist¹

1: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland; 2: University of Jyväskylä

Background and aim of the study: The extent to which physical activity may offset the adverse impact of overweight on work ability remains insufficiently understood. We examined the joint associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and overweight with work ability among adults in Finland.

Methods:

We pooled two population-based health examination survey sub-samples of participants aged <75 years: FinHealth 2017 (n=752) and Healthy Finland 2023 (n=749). MVPA, assessed using wrist-worn accelerometers (3–7 days), was categorized into tertiles: inactive (<60 min/day), moderately active (60–95 min/day), and highly active (>95 min/day). Measured body mass index (BMI) was classified as normal-weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m²) or overweight (≥25.0 kg/m²), yielding a six‑category joint variable. Self-reported work ability was dichotomized into good vs limited. Logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, education, employment status, smoking, and alcohol use were applied.

Results:

Of the participant, 65% were overweight and 30% had limited work ability. Compared with normal-weight highly active individuals, the likelihood of limited work ability was higher among normal-weight, moderately active (OR =2.0; 95% CI 1.2–3.4) and inactive (OR =2.0; 95% CI 1.1–3.6) individuals, and among overweight individual who were highly active (OR =2.2; 95% CI 1.5–3.3), moderately active (OR =2.4; 95% CI 1.7–3.5) or inactive (OR =3.9; 95% CI 2.8–5.5).

Conclusions:

Lower levels of MVPA and overweight jointly contribute to limited work ability across the adult population. Higher physical activity partially attenuates the adverse effects of overweight. Promoting regular physical activity together with healthy weight management should remain key public health priorities.