Socioeconomic status relates to exercise habits and cardiorespiratory fitness among workers in the Tokyo area

OBJECTIVES: This survey aims to investigate consciousness regarding habitual exercise among workers in urban areas and to analyze the associations of workers’ socioeconomic status with their habitual exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). METHODS: Ten thousand participants, who worked in the Tokyo area of Japan, were recruited for the questionnaire‐based survey. The questionnaire elicited participant's characteristics, socioeconomic status (eg, employment status and annual income), habitual exercise status, and consciousness regarding exercising. After the data‐cleaning procedure, 9406 participants were selected for analyses. CRF was estimated by a validated equation model. RESULTS: Some (32.9%) participants had an exercise habit, and 93% recognized that exercise is good for health. Of the nonexercise habit group (n = 6308), 73% wanted to develop an exercise habit, and “spare time (40%)” and “financial capability (16%)” were the two most necessary conditions for habituating exercise. As socioeconomic statuses increased, the odds ratios (ORs) for engaging in habitual exercise increased among full‐time (1.22) versus part‐time (reference) employees and those having high (1.76) versus low (reference) incomes, whereas the ORs for low CRF risk decreased among full‐time (0.78) versus part‐time (reference) employees and those having high (0.53) versus low (reference) incomes. CONCLUSIONS: Although most workers recognized the benefits of exercise, many were unable to develop exercise habits and believed that they could develop exercise habits if they had the time and financial capabilities. The survey suggests that workers with a higher socioeconomic status more likely to obtain favorable physical fitness, indicating a health disparity among workers in urban areas.