PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF TOP LEVEL MANAGERS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS

Background: The purpose of the work was to assess weekly, habitual physical activity of high-ranking managers, aged 28-63. The research question was formulated as follows: What percentage of surveyed professional workers met the criteria for health-recommended physical activity? Materials and Methods: The research involved 123 top level managers divided into three age groups: 28-39, 40-49 and 50-63 years. Physical activity was measured using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The volume of different levels of physical activity was calculated in units of MET min/wk. The percentage of managers meeting various criteria (IPAQ, Paffenbarger's recommendations, American College and Sport Medicine and WHO recommendations) for physical activity was calculated. Results: The average total volume of weekly physical activity was 2189.39 +/- 1201.44 MET min/wk. Public health recommendations for adults issued by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association were met by only 27% of managers. Conclusions: Manager's average frequency of participation in moderate and vigorous physical activity is lower than recommended. There is a need to institute programs to promote healthy behavior (especially physical activity) among high-ranking professional workers. Med Pr 2012;63(3):271-279