Research has shown that working from home can negatively impact health, as young workers lose about an hour of moderate physical activity each day compared to office workers. Starting a new job, as the research indicated, usually leads to an increase in physical activity (for example, walking or cycling) by 28 minutes a day compared to the period before starting work, possibly because they commute to work, increasing opportunities for movement and activity during their daily commutes.
On the other hand, the research showed a decrease in moderate physical activity among workers from home by 32 minutes a day. This equates to a loss of 16 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily, such as lifting weights or aerobic exercise, according to data published in "Daily Mail."
This indicates that working from home may limit the physical activity of employees, as they may not require daily commuting or outings, as people who work in offices or other workplaces do.
To assess the effects of starting a new job on physical activity, researchers analyzed data from young people from the UK aged 16 to 30 who participated in the national family survey. These volunteers reported on their employment status annually, and every three years they were asked about the number of exercises they performed during a typical week.
"Workers from home can consider the possibility of integrating physical activity into their day, such as walks before or after work or during lunch breaks," noted one of the authors of the research from the University of Cambridge, Alina Oksankham.
The research underscores the importance of increasing awareness of the significance of physical activity, especially for those working from home, and the need to develop innovative methods for integrating exercise into their daily routines. This includes moderate physical activity, such as cycling, as well as vigorous physical activity, such as lifting.
