Chronotype and leisure-time physical activity among civil servants in Japan: a cross-sectional analysis of the Aichi workers’ cohort study

Background: The association between chronotype and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) remains unclear. We investigated the difference in regular LTPA and for a sufficient duration between those with evening-type (ET) and morning-type chronotypes (MT). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using the data of the Aichi Workers’ Cohort Study. It included 3,221 men (mean [standard deviation] age: 45.0 [11.6] years) and 1,294 women (39.8 [11.2] years). Chronotypes were determined with the reduced version of the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. We calculated the metabolic equivalents (METs) consumed per week based on the four types of LTPA: strolling, brisk walking, light- and moderate-intensity PA, and vigorous-intensity PA. Regular LTPA and for a sufficient duration was defined as doing once or more per week and for 30 min or longer per session, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was conducted separately by sex to calculate odds ratios of ET for regular LTPA and for a sufficient duration, adjusted for age and other factors, for each type of LTPA. Results: ET men consumed fewer total METs per week than MT men (p <.001), although this pattern is not found in women. Compared to MT men, ET men were less likely to be engaged in regular LTPA in all types of LTPA (prevalence and adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: strolling: 39.1% vs. 28.7%, 0.685 [0.524–0.895]; brisk walking: 23.9% vs. 14.4%, 0.639 [0.454–0.899]; light- and moderate-intensity PA: 15.4% vs. 8.4%, 0.613 [0.404–0.929]; vigorous-intensity PA: 21.4% vs. 16.8%, 0.715 [0.518–0.989]). They were less likely to spend a sufficient duration in brisk walking (25.9% vs. 16.5%, 0.635 [0.461–0.875]), light- and moderate-intensity PA (37.1% vs. 26.8%, 0.684 [0.521–0.899]), and vigorous-intensity PA (35.3% vs. 35.8%, 0.741 [0.568–0.968]). Compared with MT women, ET women were less likely to be engaged in strolling (30.5% vs. 22.2%, 0.629 [0.398–0.995]), and less likely to spend a sufficient duration in light- and moderate-intensity PA (27.3% vs. 15.3%, 0.561 [0.335–0.937]). Conclusions: ET was inversely associated with LTPA in men and partly in women.