Sedentary risk factors across genders and job roles within a university campus workplace: preliminary study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether sedentary job role and gender are reflected by sedentary risk factors within a university campus.

METHODS: Following institutional ethical approval, 80 U.K. university campus employees were recruited, and 34 of them (age 47.8 ± 11.9 years, height 169 ± 1.0 cm, body mass 72.0 ± 14.1 kg) were measured for their systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), blood glucose (Glu), total serum blood cholesterol (Cho), dominant (DHG) and nondominant handgrip strength (NHG), body fat percentage (Fat%), trunk flexibility (Flex), peak cardiorespiratory capacity (V.O2max), and answered a physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). The data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with job role and gender as independent factors, and each measured risk as a dependent factor.

RESULTS: Gender had significant effects (p<0.05), and males demonstrated higher Glu, SBP, DBP and BMI than females (p<0.05). Females had higher Flex and Fat%, and lower DHG and NHG (p<0.05). Job role neither affected measured risk factors nor interacted with gender. However, both groups demonstrated high BMI, Fat% and Glu values, with these risk factors being above the recommended healthy thresholds. IPAQ hours correlated positively with Glu (p<0.05) but with none of the remaining tests.

CONCLUSIONS: Sedentary risk factors are prevalent within university employees irrespective of job role but not irrespective of gender. The results may provide a baseline for initiating tailored organizational targeted policies aimed at reducing sedentary risk factors associated with the university workplace.