Assessment of physical activity participation levels among workers in financial institutions

Working in financial institutions can be more time consuming. The available literature on physical activity participation levels among workers in financial institutions in Ghana is scarce. This was the stimulus for this study. The study assessed physical activity levels of participants in financial institutions. Descriptive design within quantitative approach was adopted for the study. One hundred and twenty-six respondents were sampled using multi-stage sampling techniques. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-Long Form) was used for data collection. The findings revealed that participants in Micro Finance Institutions recorded the highest mean Metabolic Equivalence of Task (MET) of 1237.80, followed by those in Credit Unions with mean MET of 422.17 and Bank participants recording a mean MET of 318.18 for the work domain. Results also showed that participants in Micro Finance Institutions recorded the highest mean MET in the transportation domain of 523.78, followed by Credit Unions (423.10) and Banks (387.67). Results further indicated that, male participants significantly recorded a higher MET scores of (531.82) than their female counterparts (331.44). An independent samples t-test revealed a statistical difference between male and female Bank workers (t= - 4.04, df= 33.34, p < 0.05). Male Bank workers (M= 565.54; SD = 281.02) recorded higher significant levels of PA than did female Bank workers (M= 324.40; SD = 118.45). Also, a statistical significant difference in PA levels was recorded between male and female Credit Union workers (t= - 2.52, df= 42.88, p < 0.05). Male Credit Union workers (M= 565.15; SD = 162.00) recorded higher significant levels of PA than did females Credit Union workers (M= 448.64; SD = 146.95). A statistical significant difference in PA levels was also recorded between male and female Micro Finance workers (t= - 2.61, df= 23.07, p < 0.05). Male Micro Finance workers (M= 1984.73; SD = 162.00) recorded higher significant levels of PA than did female Micro Finance workers (M= 1431.47; SD = 489.74). It was concluded that workers in financial institutions did not do active physical activities. It was recommended that Managers of Banks and Credit Unions in La Dade Kotopon Municipality of the Greater Accra Region should periodically organise fitness programmes on weekends for their workers to help enhance their physical activity levels. Also, Banks and Credit Unions workers in La Dade Kotopon Municipality of the Greater Accra Region should be encouraged by the Human Resource Manager (HRM) to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activities daily during off times at least 5 times a week or 2 hours on weekends.