The Physical Activity Paradox in Relation to Mental Health and Daily Functioning

Objective Recent research highlights a “physical activity paradox” where occupational physical activity (OPA) often harms health while leisure physical activity (LTPA) improves it. This study aims to investigate the main and interactive effects of OPA and LTPA on mental health and daily functioning over a two-year period. A better understanding of these relationships is crucial for developing more nuanced physical activity recommendations. It was hypothesized that higher OPA would relate to declines in mental health and daily functioning over a two-year period, while higher LTPA would associate with improvements in mental health and daily functioning over this time period. Additionally, the study explored whether LTPA acts as a buffer or an accelerant in the negative relationship between OPA and health outcomes. Methods Data were drawn from a longitudinal panel study of Dutch employees (N=1286) working more than 20 hours per week at both measurement points (2022 and 2024). Mental...Show moreObjective Recent research highlights a “physical activity paradox” where occupational physical activity (OPA) often harms health while leisure physical activity (LTPA) improves it. This study aims to investigate the main and interactive effects of OPA and LTPA on mental health and daily functioning over a two-year period. A better understanding of these relationships is crucial for developing more nuanced physical activity recommendations. It was hypothesized that higher OPA would relate to declines in mental health and daily functioning over a two-year period, while higher LTPA would associate with improvements in mental health and daily functioning over this time period. Additionally, the study explored whether LTPA acts as a buffer or an accelerant in the negative relationship between OPA and health outcomes. Methods Data were drawn from a longitudinal panel study of Dutch employees (N=1286) working more than 20 hours per week at both measurement points (2022 and 2024). Mental health was assessed using the validated five-item Revised Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5), and daily functioning was measured with three items adapted from the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Cross-sectional relationships were examined using correlations, while hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to predict outcomes at T2, controlling for baseline levels of the outcomes and relevant sociodemographic variables (age, gender, and educational level). Results Regression analyses revealed that higher levels of OPA significantly predicted a decline in daily functioning two years later (b = -0.106, p = 0.002). No longitudinal association was found between OPA and mental health despite significant cross-sectional correlations at both time points. LTPA was not significantly related to changes in mental health or daily functioning. Furthermore, no significant interaction effects between OPA and LTPA were observed for either outcome, indicating that LTPA neither buffered nor exacerbated the effects of OPA on the investigated health outcomes. Conclusion The findings partially support the physical activity paradox by showing that OPA is associated with declines in daily functioning among working-age adults. The lack of a protective effect offered by general LTPA suggests that simply sport participation may not be sufficient to improve mental health and daily functioning, and to counteract the functional strain of physically demanding work. These findings imply that workplace interventions should focus on promoting adequate rest periods, ergonomic job design, and targeted physical training tailored to jobs high in OPA.Show less

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The Physical Activity Paradox in Relation to Mental Health and Daily Functioning