TY - JOUR

T1 - Intensity of occupational physical activity in blue-collar workers

T2 - do self-reported rating and device-worn measurements agree?

AU - Korshøj, Mette

AU - Gupta, Nidhi

AU - Mortensen, Ole Steen

AU - Jorgensen, Marie Birk

AU - Holtermann, Andreas

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Purpose High intensity occupational physical activity (OPA) seem to aggravate health and increase risk of sick leave and early retirement. Most intensity of OPA monitoring has been self-reported, e.g. by rating of perceived exertion (RPE). However, no studies have investigated the precision and risk of bias in RPE reporting during free-living OPA. This study investigated the agreement between OPA intensity in percentage of the heart rate reserve (%HRR) estimated from RPE and device-measured heart rate (HR), and potential bias factors on this agreement. Methods The CR10 scale measured RPE at work. The Actiheart monitor measured HR during 24-h a day for 2-4 days. Both RPE and device-worn HR were converted to %HRR. The difference between both %HRR and their limits of agreement was determined in a Bland Altman plot. To detect bias factors, the difference between both %HRR was regressed on age, sex, cardiorespiratory fitness, occupational lifting, medication, consequences of musculoskeletal disorders and the interactions between these factors with device-work %HRR. Results Six hundred and twenty-three participants were included in the analysis. Mean difference between RPE-based and device-worn %HRR was 54.6% (SD 19.5). The limits of agreement were wide (11.6-90.1%HRR). Age (0.48%HRR, 95% CI 0.18-0.79) occupational lifting (9.84%HRR, 95% CI 3.85-15.83) and cardiorespiratory fitness (0.41%HRR, 95% CI 0.03-0.79) significantly biased the agreement between the estimations of OPA intensity. Conclusion RPE overestimated OPA intensity, and was biased by several factors. Device-worn %HRR should be preferred when evaluating OPA intensity among workers with physically demanding jobs.

AB - Purpose High intensity occupational physical activity (OPA) seem to aggravate health and increase risk of sick leave and early retirement. Most intensity of OPA monitoring has been self-reported, e.g. by rating of perceived exertion (RPE). However, no studies have investigated the precision and risk of bias in RPE reporting during free-living OPA. This study investigated the agreement between OPA intensity in percentage of the heart rate reserve (%HRR) estimated from RPE and device-measured heart rate (HR), and potential bias factors on this agreement. Methods The CR10 scale measured RPE at work. The Actiheart monitor measured HR during 24-h a day for 2-4 days. Both RPE and device-worn HR were converted to %HRR. The difference between both %HRR and their limits of agreement was determined in a Bland Altman plot. To detect bias factors, the difference between both %HRR was regressed on age, sex, cardiorespiratory fitness, occupational lifting, medication, consequences of musculoskeletal disorders and the interactions between these factors with device-work %HRR. Results Six hundred and twenty-three participants were included in the analysis. Mean difference between RPE-based and device-worn %HRR was 54.6% (SD 19.5). The limits of agreement were wide (11.6-90.1%HRR). Age (0.48%HRR, 95% CI 0.18-0.79) occupational lifting (9.84%HRR, 95% CI 3.85-15.83) and cardiorespiratory fitness (0.41%HRR, 95% CI 0.03-0.79) significantly biased the agreement between the estimations of OPA intensity. Conclusion RPE overestimated OPA intensity, and was biased by several factors. Device-worn %HRR should be preferred when evaluating OPA intensity among workers with physically demanding jobs.

KW - Physical activity at work

KW - Occupational physical activity

KW - Intensity

KW - Heart rate

KW - Rate of perceived exertion

KW - Rating of physical work strain

KW - Deterioration

KW - COMBINED HEART-RATE

KW - PERCEIVED EXERTION

KW - FITNESS

KW - VALIDITY

KW - RESPONSES

KW - SENSOR

KW - AGE

U2 - 10.1007/s00421-022-04920-8

DO - 10.1007/s00421-022-04920-8

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35267075

VL - 122

SP - 1293

EP - 1301

JO - European Journal of Applied Physiology

JF - European Journal of Applied Physiology

SN - 1439-6319

ER -