Validity of self-reported sedentary time differs between Australian rural men engaged in office and farming occupations. Issue 12 (17th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dollman, James; Pontt, Johanna L.; Rowlands, Alex V.
• Is Part Of: Journal of sports sciences. Volume 34:Issue 12(2016)
• Page Start: 1154
• Page End: 1158
• Publication Date: 2016-06-17
• Subjects: Sitting time -- validation -- adult -- self-report -- occupational groups; Sports -- Periodicals; Sports -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 612.044
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2015.1094185
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-0414

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Rural Australians have a higher likelihood of chronic disease than urban Australians, particularly male farmers. Chronic disease has been associated with occupational sedentary time. The aim was to validate the self-report of sedentary time in men in contrasting rural occupations. Farmers ( n = 29) and office workers ( n = 28), age 30–65 years, were recruited from the Riverland region of South Australia. Daily sedentary time and number of breaks in sedentary time were self-reported and measured objectively using body-worn inclinometers. Correlational analyses were conducted between self-reported and objectively measured variables, separately by occupation. There was a significant correlation between self-reported and objectively measured sedentary time in the whole sample ( r = 0.44, P = 0.001). The correlation among office workers was significant ( r = 0.57, P = 0.003) but not among farmers ( r = 0.08, P = 0.68). There were no significant correlations between self-reported and measured number of breaks in sedentary time, for the whole sample (rho = −0.03, P = 0.83), office workers (rho = 0.17, P = 0.39) and farmers (rho = −0.22, P = 0.25). In conclusion, the validity of self-report of sedentary behaviours by farmers was poor. Further research is needed to develop better performing self-report instruments or more accessible objective measures of sedentary behaviour in this population.