Examining health risk behaviors of self-employed and employed workers in Japan: a cross-sectional study

Objectives: Self-employed workers have a higher risk for adverse health outcomes than employed workers. However, the differences in health risk behaviors by employment status are largely unknown. This study examined differences in health risk behaviors between self-employed and employed (per-manent/non-permanent) workers by sex and age (20-59 years, 60-79 years).Study design: This was a cross-sectional study involving community-dwelling adults living in urban cities in Japan.Methods: In 2019, we conducted a mail survey in Wako city, Saitama, and Fuchu city, Tokyo. In total, 30,315 adults aged >= 18 years were randomly selected, and 14,185 completed the survey (response rate: 46.8%). The participants for analysis were 8538 workers. Health risk behaviors included physical inac-tivity (<150 min/wk of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity), prolonged sitting (>480 min/d), high -frequency drinking (>= 3 d/wk), tobacco use (current smoker), and overweight (body mass index >= 25 kg/m2). We also calculated the total number of health risk behaviors. Results: Self-employed workers had more health risk behaviors than permanent and non-permanent employees, with this difference more significant among younger males. In younger males, compared with self-employment, permanent employment was associated with less tobacco use, and non-permanent employment was associated with less physical inactivity, prolonged sitting, high-frequency drinking, and overweight. In younger females, non-permanent employment was associated with less prolonged sitting and overweight than self-employment. In older males and females, the prevalence of physical inactivity was lower in non-permanent employed than in self-employed workers.Conclusions: Promoting health behaviors among self-employed may be beneficial for reducing health inequalities between self-employed and employed workers.(c) 2022 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Self-employed workers have a higher prevalence of health risk behaviors compared to employed workers, particularly among younger males. In younger males, permanent employment is associated with lower tobacco use, while non-permanent employment is associated with lower levels of physical inactivity, prolonged sitting, high-frequency drinking, and overweight. Among younger females, non-permanent employment is associated with less prolonged sitting and overweight compared to self-employment. In older males and females, non-permanent employed individuals have a lower prevalence of physical inactivity compared to self-employed workers.