Intensity matters: the role of physical activity in the job demands-resources model / La intensidad importa: el papel de la actividad física en el modelo de exigenciasrecursos del puesto de trabajo

Research indicates that physical activity is associated with lower perceived job stress and burnout. Recent literature shows that regular vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (VPA) may have beneficial effects going well beyond those of regular moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (MPA). However, research investigating the competing roles of VPA and MPA in the context of deleterious job conditions is scarce. Using data from an online-study with 847 employees, we tested if VPA and MPA relate to lower symptoms of burnout and whether they moderate the relationship of job demands and burnout. Results point towards a negative main effect between MPA and burnout whereas no main effect has been found between VPA and burnout. However, results indicate that VPA moderates the deleterious relationship of high job demands and burnout. Findings suggest that employees may benefit from MPA independently from level of job demand whereas VPA may additionally help coping with high job demands

La investigación indica que la actividad física se asocia con una menor percepción de estrés y agotamiento emocional. La literatura reciente muestra que la actividad física aeróbica habitual de intensidad vigorosa (AFV) puede tener efectos provechosos que pueden ir bastante más allá que los de la actividad física aeróbica habitual de intensidad moderada (AFM). No obstante, hay pocos estudios que investiguen los papeles enfrentados de la AFV y la AFM en condiciones de trabajo adversas. A partir de los datos de un estudio online realizado con 847 empleados pusimos a prueba si la AFV y la AFM tienen relación con síntomas menores de agotamiento emocional y si modulan la relación de las exigencias del puesto de trabajo y el agotamiento laboral. Los resultados señalan un efecto principal negativo entre la AFM y el agotamiento emocional, pero ninguno entre este y la AFV. Sin embargo, los resultados indican que la AFV modera la relación nociva de las exigencias elevadas del puesto de trabajo con el agotamiento emocional. Los hallazgos indican que los empleados pueden sacar provecho de la AFM con independencia del nivel de exigencia del puesto mientras que la AFV puede además ayudar a manejar un elevado nivel de exigencia

Healthy eating at different risk levels for job stress: testing a moderated mediation.

Health behavior, like fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC), is affected by unfavorable job conditions. However, there is little research to date that combines job stress models and health-behavior change models. This longitudinal study examined the contribution of risk factors associated with job stress to the intention-planning-FVC relationship. In the context of the Health Action Process Approach, action planning (when-where-how plans) and coping planning (plans to overcome anticipated barriers) have been shown to be successful mediators in the translation of health-related intentions into action. Risk factors for job stress are operationalized as the interaction of job demands and job resources in line with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. Two hundred seventy-two employees (mean age 41.2 years, 73.9% female) from different jobs completed measures of intention at baseline (t1), action planning and coping planning 2 weeks later (t2), and FVC another 2 weeks later (t3). Job demands and job resources were assessed at t1 and t2. A moderated mediation analysis indicated that risk factors for job stress moderate the translation of intention into action planning (B = -0.23, p < .05) and coping planning (B = -0.14, p < .05). No moderation effect of the planning-FVC relationship by risk factors for job stress was found. However, coping planning directly predicted FVC (B = 0.36, p < .001). Findings suggest that employees intending to eat healthily use action planning and coping planning when job demands exceed job resources. For increasing FVC, coping planning appears most beneficial.