Association between work-related physical activity and mortality among US Cohort.

Purpose: The benefits of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in reducing mortality are well-known, while the relationship between work-related physical activity (WRPA) and mortality remains controversial. The study aimed to investigate the association between WRPA and mortality, and to determine whether LTPA should be recommended in a population with a high level of WRPA. Method: Data were obtained from a sample of adults aged 20–80 years included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cohort from 2007 to 2018. Hazard ratios (HRs) for the association between WRPA and all-cause mortality were estimated using Cox proportional regression models. All analyses were performed in accordance with NHANES guidelines, in which data were complex-weighted first and then analyzed in the next step, Statistical significance was defined as a two-sided P-value < 0.05. Results: A total of 27,567 participants were included in the study. Over a median follow-up period of 78 months, a total of 2,553 (weighted ratio, 6.5%) participants were assumed dead. The mean age (SD) of this cohort was 47.5 (16.7), and 48.5% were men. Compared to participants without WRPA (as the reference group), participants engaged in WRPA exhibited a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality over different time periods. Specifically, the HR for participants with less than 17.5 h of weekly participation were 0.70 (95% CI: 0.62–0.78). For those participating between 17.5 and 35 h per week, the HR was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.64–1.00), while participants engaging in more than 35 h of weekly participation had an HR of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.56–0.91). Conclusions: WRPA is a protective factor that reduces the risk of all-cause death, especially in people without LTPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]