MENSURAÇÕES DA ATIVIDADE FÍSICA LABORAL EM TRABALHADORES DE UM PORTO NO SUL DO BRASIL

Abstract

This study measured physical activity levels during work activity among casual dock workers in an objective (accelerometry) and subjective (questionnaire) manner. This is a cross-sectional study carried out with casual dock workers of the stevedore and dockside worker categories of the Organized Port of Rio Grande/RS. Physical activity was measured by the Actigraph accelerometer and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ long version). The accelerometers were used in two moments during the worker’s journey in the port performing the same function. The IPAQ was applied comprising the same period of use of the accelerometers. The study sample was composed of 50 casual male dock workers (33 dockside workers and 17 stevedores) whose average age was 48.6 years (sd±8.9) and approximately 78% of them performed the same activity in the port for more than 20 years. The role of driver in the stevedore category presented a higher percentage of time spent in light (31.7%), moderate (47.5%) and vigorous activities (8.7%) when compared to the other functions within this category. Responses to the IPAQ work session indicated a very high level of physical activity among all the workers, regardless of category and function they worked. Emphasis is given to the importance of measures to balancing the levels of physical activity, encouraging the health promotion of the casual dock workers; suggesting future studies that make it possible to investigate better alternatives in the face of the peculiar work routine.