Stroke is a multi-factorial disease and is influenced by complex environmental interactions. The purpose of this case-control study was to determine the relationship of sitting occupations with ischemic stroke in the North Indian population. In a hospital-based case-control study, age- and sex-matched controls were recruited from the outpatient department and the neurology ward of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Occupation along with other demographic and risk factor variables was measured in-person interview in standardized case record form. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio associated with ischemic stroke. Two hundred and twenty-four people post-stroke and 224 control participants were recruited from the period of February 2009 to February 2012. Mean age of cases and controls was 53.47 ± 14 and 52.92 ± 13.4, respectively. The occupations which involve sitting at work were independently associated with the risk of ischemic stroke after adjustment for demographic and risk factor variables (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.12-3.8). The result of this study has shown an independent association between the sitting occupations and ischemic stroke in North Indian population. The present study supports the workplace health initiative to implement workplace physical activity policy and encourages employee to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting throughout the day.
Keywords: physical activity; sitting occupation; stroke.