The Associations between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and burnout

Abstract

This study is one part of online research “The Food Mood Move project”. To examine the relations between different types of physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and burnout syndrome and whether SB moderates the relation between PA and burnout syndrome. 251 18-74-year-olds (69.3% men, 30.3% women, and .4% other) adults were recruited for survey participation from different countries. Burnout and its four dimensions (exhaustion, mental distance, cognitive and emotional impairment) were measured through the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to measure three domains of PA (work, recreation, and travel) and SB. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the relations. The results showed that, firstly, PA at work was negatively related to the risk of burnout syndrome (OR = .48, 95% CI = .26 – .88) and recreational PA (OR = .63, 95% CI = .41 – .98) was negatively associated with exhaustion. No relation between PA and cognitive impairment, mental distance, and emotional impairment was found. Secondly, SB was not related to burnout or its dimensions. Finally, SB did not moderate the relationship between PA and burnout or its dimensions. In summary, stimulating more PA at work and leisure time might play a significant role in preventing burnout. It is necessary to encourage a healthy lifestyle for workers.