Adult total wellness: group differences based on sitting time and physical activity level

Background An increasing body of evidence associates a high level of sitting time with poor health outcomes. The benefits of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activities to various aspects of health are now well documented; however, individuals may engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week and still exhibit a high level of sitting time. This purpose of this study was to examine differences in total wellness among adults relative to high/low levels of sitting time combined with insufficient/sufficient physical activity (PA). The construct of total wellness incorporates a holistic approach to the body, mind and spirit components of life, an approach which may be more encompassing than some definitions of health. Methods Data were obtained from 226 adult respondents (27 ± 6 years), including 116 (51%) males and 110 (49%) females. Total PA and total sitting time were assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (short-version). The Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle Inventory was used to assess total wellness. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was utilised to assess the effects of the sitting time/physical activity group on total wellness. A covariate was included to partial out the effects of age, sex and work status (student or employed). Cross-tabulations were used to show associations between the IPAQ derived high/low levels of sitting time with insufficient/sufficient PA and the three total wellness groups (i.e. high level of wellness, moderate wellness and wellness development needed). Results The majority of the participants were located in the high total sitting time and sufficient PA group. There were statistical differences among the IPAQ groups for total wellness [F (2,220) = 32.5 (p <0.001)]. A Chi-square test revealed a significant difference in the distribution of the IPAQ categories within the classification of wellness [χ2 (N = 226) = 54.5, p < .001]. One-hundred percent (100%) of participants who self-rated as high total sitting time/insufficient PA were found in the wellness development needed group. In contrast, 72% of participants who were located in the low total sitting time/sufficient PA group were situated in the moderate wellness group. Conclusion Many participants who meet the physical activity guidelines, in this sample, sit for longer periods of time than the median Australian sitting time. An understanding of the effects of the enhanced PA and reduced sitting time on total wellness can add to the development of public health initiatives. Keywords: IPAQ; The Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (WEL); Sedentary lifestyle

Portrait of Gustav Moeller sitting behind desk Portraits; Men

Verso: Tidens foerlag. Gustav Moeller. Rep/Totto.

Reproduction of Richard Dehmel reading with his wife Ida Dehmel nee Auerbach sitting across from him, early in their marriage; Parkstrasse, Hamburg Portraits; Couples

Verso: Erste Wohnung Parkstrasse Fruehzeit der Ehe 1901

Ernst Gottschalk sitting in a car petting his dog Whip; London, England.

Digital Image

Portrait of Sophie Gottschalk sitting in a chair with a book in her hands; Burgdorf, Germany.

Digital Image

Portrait of Henriette Gottschalk nee Rothschild sitting in her chair doing needlework; Hannover, Germany.

Digital Image

Fritz Gottschalk with his wife Therese nee Molling sitting on the beach next to a strandkorb; Norderney, Germany. Portraits Couples

Digital Image

Albert Einstein sitting on porch in rocking chair Portraits; Men

Digital Image

Studio portrait of Hilde Mosse, Marianne Ginsberg (Gilbert) and Rudolf Mosse sitting on a sled Portraits; Children

Verso: Handwritten postcard correspondence dated 1916 January 21

Adolf Molling and Henny Molling nee Meyerhof sitting in a garden; Germany.

Digital Image

Freddy Godshaw sitting in a garden holding a croquet stick; Germany.

Digital Image

Wolfgang Apfel sitting outdoors; Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Digital Image

Portrait of a family and their dog sitting in a park Portraits Family

Digital Image

Leo Baeck sitting on grass with Rudolf Seligsohn; Erzgebirge Portraits; Groups; Men

Digital Image

Elsa Einstein with unidentified woman sitting on the porch of Albert Einstein's Weekend Home; Caputh, near Berlin Architecture; Residences; Exterior

Digital Image