Leisure-time physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and work ability: a study in randomly selected residents of Lódź.

OBJECTIVES Low physical activity is a serious health problem in developed and developing countries. Much attention is also given to the role of physical activity in the modification of work ability in adults. The aim of this studywas to assess leisure-time physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and their influence on the subjective work ability in a randomly selected group of professionally active residents of Lódź. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was performed in the randomly selected group of professionally active persons (n = 198). Physical activity was determined by means of the Seven Day Physical Activity Recall (SDPAR). To determine cardiorespiratory fitness in the examined persons, the submaximal treadmill test was performed. Subjective work ability was evaluated using the work ability index (WAI). RESULTS Correlation coefficient for the WAI and leisure-time physical activity was high r = 0.3, p < 0.0001. Moreover, WAI, its compounds and cardiorespiratory fitness were highly correlated r = 0.4, p < 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis of leisure-time physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and WAI emphasizes a great, potential feasibility of improving the WAI and its components, e.g., through the development, promotion, and broad use of training schedules.