Association of shift work with physical activity among police officers: the Buffalo cardio-metabolic occupational police stress study.

Objective: To examine relations of shift work with occupational, sports, and household physical activity (PA) among police officers.

Methods: Self-reported PA was assessed among 350 male and female officers (aged 27 to 66). Day, afternoon, or midnight shift was identified from daily payroll records.

Results: Shift work was associated with prevalence of hard-intensity (occupational and sport) PA among men, and very hard-intensity sport PA among women, with afternoon workers reporting the highest prevalence. Shift work was independently associated with total hours of hard-intensity PA among men and very hard-intensity PA among women, with afternoon workers reporting the most hours.

Conclusions: Results indicated that hard and very hard-intensity PA varied significantly across shifts with afternoon workers being the most active.