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Sleep timing preferences and free-time exercise habits among Japanese government workers

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Mar 22, 2026

Abstract

Evening-type men consumed fewer total metabolic equivalents (METs) per week than morning-type men (p < .001).

Evening-type men were less likely to engage in regular (LTPA) across all activity types compared to morning-type men.
The prevalence of strolling was 39.1% in morning-type men versus 28.7% in evening-type men.
Adjusted odds ratios indicated that evening-type men had lower likelihoods of participating in brisk walking (0.639), light- and moderate-intensity physical activity (0.613), and vigorous-intensity physical activity (0.715) compared to morning-type men.
Evening-type men were also less likely to spend a sufficient duration in brisk walking (16.5% vs. 25.9%) and light- and moderate-intensity physical activity (26.8% vs. 37.1%).
Evening-type women showed a lower likelihood of engaging in strolling (22.2% vs. 30.5%) and spending a sufficient duration in light- and moderate-intensity physical activity (15.3% vs. 27.3%) compared to morning-type women.

Simplified

BACKGROUND: The association between and (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.

Key numbers

6.3

Lower METs in Evening-Type Men

Total METs consumed per week by in men

369 of 3221

Prevalence of Evening-Type Men

Number of evening-type men in the study cohort

28.7%

Lower Engagement in Regular

Prevalence of regular strolling among evening-type men vs. morning-type men

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Sleep timing preferences and free-time exercise habits among Japanese government workers

Abstract

Key numbers

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