Association of shift work with physical activity among police officers: the Buffalo cardio-metabolic occupational police stress study.

Abstract

To examine relations of shift work with occupational, sports, and household physical activity (PA) among police officers. Self-reported PA was assessed among 350 male and female officers (aged 27 to 66). Day, afternoon, or midnight shift was identified from daily payroll records. Shift work was associated with prevalence of hard-intensity (occupational and sport) PA among men, and very hard-intensity sport PA among women, with afternoon workers reporting the highest prevalence. Shift work was independently associated with total hours of hard-intensity PA among men and very hard-intensity PA among women, with afternoon workers reporting the most hours. Results indicated that hard and very hard-intensity PA varied significantly across shifts with afternoon workers being the most active.