Objective: Investigate differences in device-measured physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep between shift and nonshift workers, focusing on variations during work and leisure periods.
Methods: Full-time employed adult participants from Newcastle, Australia, wore thigh and wrist accelerometers for 14 days to assess activity and sleep. Activity was classified into sedentary, standing, light-intensity physical activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity. Linear mixed models and compositional data analysis were used to assess behavioral time allocation.
Results: Forty-nine participants (shift = 33, nonshift = 16) completed the study. During work periods, shift workers were less sedentary (-79.40 minutes, P = 0.031) and engaged more in light-intensity physical activity (+39.95 minutes, P = 0.044), but were more sedentary during leisure (+93.59 minutes, P = 0.019).
Conclusions: Distinct differences during work and leisure highlight the need for domain-specific analysis.
Keywords: accelerometer; compositional data analysis; occupational health; physical activity; sedentary behavior; shift work; sleep patterns.
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