Working conditions and health behaviours among employed women and men: the Helsinki Health Study

BACKGROUND: Working conditions influence health, but previous studies on the associations between work-related factors and health behaviours are scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse whether unfavourable working conditions are associated with diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking. METHODS: The data derive from postal questionnaires collected in 2000-2001 from 40- to 60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki (n=6243, response rate: 68%). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine health behaviours as outcomes. Job demands and job control, physically and mentally strenuous work, work fatigue, working overtime and satisfaction with work-home interface were independent variables, adjusted for age, education, occupational social class and marital status. RESULTS: Most of the examined associations between working conditions and health behaviours were not statistically significant. Among women, mentally strenuous work and high job control were associated with a healthy diet. Work fatigue was associated with physical inactivity, whereas physically strenuous work and satisfaction with work-home interface were more often reported by physically active women. Work fatigue was associated with high drinking among men. Low job strain was reported by nonsmoking women, whereas working overtime was associated with nonsmoking among men. CONCLUSIONS: Working conditions were only weakly associated with health behaviours, and the associations varied for different health behaviours.