Strength indicators and usual physical activity among university administrative employees

Abstract

Background: Sedentary behavior is a risk factor for several diseases, while physically active lifestyles and physical fitness contribute to the promotion and maintenance of health. Objective: To establish the level of physical activity of university administrative employees and investigate its relationship with muscle strength indicators and morphological characteristics. Methods: The sample comprised 44 university administrative employees. Data on body mass (BM) and height were collected to calculate the body mass index. The participants' level of physical activity was established based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The participants were subjected to four muscle strength tests: right hand grip (RHG), left hand grip (LHG), lumbar traction (LT) and lower limb traction (LLT). Relative muscle strength (%MS) was calculated dividing absolute muscle strength (AMS=RHG+LHG+LT+LLT) by BM. Results: The insufficiently active participants exhibited significant higher BM, lower LT, LLT, AMS and %MS, and spent more time in sedentary activities on weekends. Conclusion: Physical inactivity was associated with poorer muscle strength indicators and higher BM among university administrative employees, pointing to harms inherent to sedentary behavior.