Occupational physical activity: the good, the bad, and the proinflammatory

Galateja Jordakieva; Timothy Hasenoehrl; Margarete Steiner; Erika Jensen-Jarolim; Richard Crevenna

doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1253951

Occupational physical activity: the good, the bad, and the proinflammatory

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Oct 6:10:1253951. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1253951. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Galateja Jordakieva¹, Timothy Hasenoehrl¹, Margarete Steiner¹, Erika Jensen-Jarolim^{2

3}, Richard Crevenna¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Occupational Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
² Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
³ The Interuniversity Messerli Research Institute, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) is beneficial for preventing several conditions associated with underlying chronic inflammation, e. g., cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. While an active lifestyle appears to have anti-inflammatory effects, high levels of occupational PA (OPA) were associated with inflammation and elevated mortality risks. We aimed to summarize the current knowledge (1) on the association between inflammation and OPA and (2) its implications for health and mortality.

Methods and results: This mini-review summarized relevant literature published before January 2023 using established scientific databases and sources. For the primary outcome, observational studies (S) reporting immunological effects (O) in subjects (P), with high (I) vs. low OPA (C), were included. For secondary outcomes, i.e., morbidity and mortality associated with inflammatory processes, (systematic) reviews were included. While "active" occupations and "moderate" OPA appear to have beneficial effects, low (particularly sedentary) and "high-intensity" OPA (particularly including heavy lifting tasks) were associated with inflammation and (CVD and cancer-related) mortality; higher leisure-time PA has been almost consistently associated with lower proinflammatory markers and all-cause mortality risks. Workplace interventions appear to counter some of the observed health effects of unfavorable work strain.

Conclusion: The few studies addressing OPA "intensity" and inflammatory markers are largely heterogeneous regarding OPA classification and confounder control. Sedentary and "heavy" OPA appear to promote proinflammatory effects. In addition to targeted management of work-related physical strain and hazardous environmental co-factors, occupational health providers should focus on employer-initiated exercise interventions and the promotion of leisure-time PA.

Keywords: high activity work; inflammation; occupational health; proinflammatory markers; sedentary work.

Publication types

Review