Objectives: This study’s objective was to assess the effects of a 12-month physical exercise intervention on work ability (WAI) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in healthy working adults. Methods: The study group had 371 participants, of which 338 (212 women and 126 men) were allocated in the exercise group and 33 (17 women and 16 men) in the control group. The exercise group underwent a 12-month exercise program followed by a 12-month follow-up. WAI and CRF were evaluated at baseline, and at 4, 8, 12, and 24 study months, in both exercise and control groups. The exercise group was divided into subgroups according to baseline WAI classifications (poor/moderate, good, excellent). Results: During the 12-month exercise intervention, the exercise group increased their leisure-time physical activity by 71% (p = 0.016) and improved the mean WAI by 3% and CRF by 7% (p < 0.0001, in both), while WAI and CRF decreased in the control group (ANCOVA using age, sex and BMI as covariates, for WAI, p = 0.013 and for CRF, p = 0.008). The changes in WAI and CRF between the exercise group and control group were significantly different during the intervention (baseline vs. 12-months, p = 0.028 and p = 0.007) and after the follow-up (p = 0.001 and p = 0.040), respectively. A light positive correlation between the changes in WAI and in CRF (r = 0.19, p < 0.01) existed. WAI improvement was the highest (13%, p < 0.0001) in the subgroup having poor/moderate WAI at baseline (ANCOVA, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The improvement of WAI associated with CRF. These results suggest that a physical exercise intervention may improve work ability.

Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of a 12-month physical exercise intervention accompanied by a 12-month followup evaluating stress symptoms (SS), mental resources (MR) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in healthy, working adults. We hypothesized that the stress symptoms would decrease and mental resources would increase during the intervention and that these results are associated with changes in CRF. Material and Methods: The study group included healthy adults (N = 371). Three hundred thirty eight participants (212 women, 126 men) were allocated in the exercise group and 33 in the control group (17 women and 16 men). For the analysis, the exercise group was divided into subgroups according to the base line SS and MR. Stress symptoms and MR were measured using the Occupational Stress Questionnaire. Results: During the 12-month exercise intervention, SS decreased by 16% (p < 0.0001), MR increased by 8% (p < 0.0001) and CRF increased by 7% (p < 0.0001) in the exercise group, while no changes occurred in the control group (ANCOVA, p < 0.01). In the exercise group, the results (SS, MR, and CRF) remained improved during the follow-up. There was a positive correlation between the change in SS and the change in CRF (r = 0.19, p < 0.01). In the subgroup having the highest SS at baseline, SS during the intervention decreased most (26%) (ANCOVA, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: One year physical exercise intervention improved mental well-being among working adults and this was associated with an improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness. The positive changes remained after the 12-month follow-up.

BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to investigate how cardio respiratory (CRF) and muscular fitness (MF) together with leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) influence stress symptoms and mental resources among normal-weight and overweight men, because it is not known how body weight affects this association.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, 824 men (mean ± SD: age 25 ± 5 y, weight 81 ± 13 kg, BMI 25 ± 4 kg/m2) underwent CRF and MF tests and completed LTPA and stress questionnaires. For the analysis, the subjects were divided into BMI groups (normal vs. overweight) and CRF / MF / LTPA (low, moderate, high) tertiles.ResultsNormal-weight men with low CRF reported 12 % (p = 0.001) more stress symptoms (SS) compared to normal-weight men with moderate CRF, and 13 % (p = 0.004) more SS compared to normal-weight men with high CRF. Normal-weight men with low MF reported 13 % (p = 0.001) higher SS compared to normal-weight men with moderate MF and 16 % (p = 0.002) more SS compared to men with high MF. Among overweight men, there were no significant differences in SS or mental resources (MR) between the low, moderate and high CRF and MF tertiles. Overweight men with high CRF experienced 8 % (p = 0.039) more SS compared to normal-weight participants with high CRF when age, tobacco and alcohol use, MF and LTPA were considered as covariates (p = 0.014).ConclusionHigher CRF and MF are associated with lower stress and higher mental resources in normal-weight men, but in overweight men, these relationships may differ.

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