Physical Behaviours in Brazilian Office Workers Working from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Compared to before the Pandemic: A Compositional Data Analysis

Author(s)

Brusaca, Luiz Augusto ^[1] ; Barbieri, Dechristian Franca ^[1] ; Mathiassen, Svend Erik ^[2] ; Holtermann, Andreas ^[3] ; Oliveira, Ana Beatriz ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Lab Clin & Occupat Kinesiol, Dept Phys Therapy, Washington Luiz Rd, Km 235, SP310, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Gavle, Ctr Musculoskeletal Res, Dept Occupat Hlth Sci & Psychol, S-80176 Gavle - Sweden

^[3] Natl Res Ctr Working Environm, Lerso Parkalle 105, DK-2100 Copenhagen - Denmark

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH; v. 18, n. 12 JUN 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Work from home has increased greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and concerns have been raised that this would change physical behaviours. In the present study, 11 Brazilian office workers (five women, six men; mean {[}SD] age 39.3 {[}9.6] years) wore two triaxial accelerometers fixed on the upper back and right thigh continuously for five days, including a weekend, before COVID-19 (September 2019), and again while working at home during COVID-19 (July 2020). We determined time used in five behaviours: sedentary, standing, light physical activity (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA), and time-in-bed. Data on these behaviours were processed using Compositional Data Analysis, and behaviours observed pre-COVID19 and during-COVID19 were compared using repeated-measures MANOVA. On workdays during-COVID19, participants spent 667 min sedentary, 176 standing, 74 LPA, 51 MVPA and 472 time-in-bed; corresponding numbers pre-COVID were 689, 180, 81, 72 and 418 min. Tests confirmed that less time was spent in bed pre-COVID19 (log-ratio -0.12 {[}95% CI -0.19; -0.08]) and more time in MVPA (log-ratio 0.35, {[}95% CI 0.08; 0.70]). Behaviours during the weekend changed only marginally. While small, this study is the first to report objectively measured physical behaviours during workdays as well as weekends in the same subjects before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/02004-0 - Can the use of sit-stand tables change the level of physical activity and body composition of office workers with overweight/obesity?
• Grantee: Ana Beatriz de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/25140-6 - Chronic and acute effect of using the sit-stand desk as a strategy to reduce sedentary behaviour in administrative workers
• Grantee: Luiz Augusto Brusaca de Azevedo Laureano da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 18/06359-4 - Can sit-stand table usage affect the level of physical activity and body composition in office workers with overweight and obesity?
• Grantee: Dechristian França Barbieri
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral