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Physically demanding work in middle-aged and ageing employees is associated with poor physical functioning. Also younger employees have limitations in their daily functioning, but there is no research on the associations between physically demanding work and physical functioning during early careers. This study investigated whether physically demanding work is associated with physical functioning in employees aged 18–39 years.  The data were collected in autumn 2017 from the City of Helsinki employees born in or after 1978 (n=11,459). Out of them, 5,111 responded online or via a mailed paper survey. We included those 4,585 (40% of all those invited) who had responded to all necessary questions for the present study. Physical functioning was assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire, and poor physical functioning was defined as the lowest quarter of the physical functioning score (PCS ≤48.80, total scale 1-100). Physical workload was determined with a multi-part question about factors related to work and the work environment, and the degree of perceived harm caused by them. The physical workload scores were divided into thirds. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between physically demanding work and physical functioning, while adjusting for health behaviours, sleep problems, body mass index, education and marital status.  Poor physical functioning was associated with physically moderately (OR 1.70, 95%CI 1.43-2.00) and highly (OR 3.56 [2.70-4.70]) demanding work. In addition, frequent sleep problems (OR 1.90 [1.67-2.22]), obesity (OR 1.89 [1.56-2.30]) and low education (OR 1.37 [1.10-1.71]) were associated with poor physical functioning.  Tackling physically demanding work may play a role in maintaining physical functioning (and subsequently) working capacity.

Keywords: physical functioning, work load, young workers, health behaviour