Ergonomic factors, nutritional habits and level of physical activity in teachers of an Educational Unit in Ecuador
Abstract
Occupational Workplace ergonomics, dietary habits, and physical activity are key pillars of occupational health for teachers; poor posture and unhealthy habits increase the risk of musculoskeletal and cardiometabolic disorders. Objective: To identify the level of occupational ergonomic risk, physical activity level, nutritional status, and dietary habits among teachers at an educational institution in Ecuador, using measurement tools and questionnaires, to design preventive or corrective strategies for occupational risks and promote healthy lifestyles. Methodology: An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study involving 62 teachers. The RULA was applied for ergonomic assessment, the short version of the IPAQ for physical activity, a food frequency questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements. Descriptive analysis and associations. Results: 43.5% of teachers were obese, and 51.6% had cardiometabolic risk based on waist circumference measurements. Habits: 60% reported low consumption of fruits and vegetables, and 55% reported high consumption of ultra-processed foods. Physical Activity: 50% had low activity levels. Ergonomics: 43.6% had high or very high risk. Critical Tasks: Grading notebooks and standing at the blackboard. Excess weight and low physical activity were associated with higher ergonomic risk. Conclusion: High prevalence of ergonomic risks and unhealthy habits among teachers; it is important to implement a comprehensive institutional plan that includes ergonomics, promotes physical activity, and provides nutrition education.
Downloads
References
Alhazmi, A., Alsharif, F., Alqahtani, A., & Alshammari, M. (2025). Dietary habits, nutritional knowledge and obesity risk among School teachers: A cross-sectional study.
Alhazmi, A., Ali, M., Dawria, A., Narapureddy, B. R., & Hawash, M. M. (2025). Assessment of health behavior of primary School teachers based on their nutritional knowledge and physical activity: A cross-sectional study in the Asir Region. PLOS ONE, 20(1), e0318146. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0318146
Andersson, C., Nayor, M., Tsao, C. W., Levy, D., & Vasan, R. S. (2021). Framingham Heart Study: JACC Focus Seminar, 1/8. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 77(21), 2680–2692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2021.01.059
Asociación Médica Mundial. (2013). Declaración de Helsinki de la AMM – Principios éticos para las investigaciones médicas en seres humanos. https://www.wma.net/es/policies-post/declaracion-de-helsinki-de-la-amm-principios-eticos-para-las-investigaciones-medicas-en-seres-humanos/
Bohmann, P., Stein, M. J., Amadou, A., Baurecht, H., Fervers, B., Fontvielle, E., et al. (2025). WHO guidelines on waist circumference and physical activity and their joint association with cancer risk. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-108708
Chooi, Y. C., Ding, C., & Magkos, F. (2023). The epidemiology of obesity. Metabolism, 137, 155366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155366
Comité Nacional de Ética en Investigación. (2015). Normativa para la regulación ética de la investigación en seres humanos en Ecuador. Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador. https://www.salud.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Normativa-Etica-Investigacion-Seres-Humanos.pdf
Craig, C. L., Marshall, A. L., Sjöström, M., Bauman, A. E., Booth, M. L., Ainsworth, B. E., Pratt, M., Ekelund, U., Yngve, A., Sallis, J. F., & Oja, P. (2003). International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 35(8), 1381–1395. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.MSS.0000078924.61453.FB
de Souza, J. M., Tebar, W. R., Delfino, L. D., et al. (2022). Association of musculoskeletal pain with sedentary behavior in public School teachers: The role of habitual physical activity. Pain Management Nursing, 24(2), 196–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2022.08.005
Delfino, L. D., Tebar, W. R., Gil, F. C. S., Souza, J. M., Romanzini, M., Fernandes, R. A., & Christofaro, D. G. D. (2020). Food consumption and nutritional status of teachers: A cross-sectional study. Public Health Nutrition, 23(10), 1725–1733. https://doi.org/10.1017/S136898001900478X
García, M., Pérez, L., & Rodríguez, A. (2021). Actividad física y salud en docentes: Una revisión sistemática. Apunts. Educación Física y Deportes, 143, 12-20. https://doi.org/10.5672/apunts.2014-0983.es.(2021/1).143.02
Grabara, M. (2023). The association between physical activity and musculoskeletal disorders a cross-sectional study of teachers. PeerJ. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36852223/
Halek, R. B. A., Dev, A., Chew, K. H., & Hannan, M. A. (2025). Evaluation of validity and reliability of Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method in research experiment: A systematic review. Open Journal of Safety Science and Technology, 15(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojsst.2025.151001
Hallman, D. M., Gupta, N., Heiden, M., Mathiassen, S. E., Korshøj, M., Jørgensen, M. B., & Holtermann, A. (2021). Occupational physical activity and the risk of metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavior Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18, 82. https://doi.org/10. 1186/ s12966-021-01138-6
Jayedi, A., Soltani, S., Zargar, M. S., Khan, T. A., & Shab-Bidar, S. (2022). Central fitness and risk of cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. BMJ, 370, m3324. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3324
Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador. (2022). Acuerdo Ministerial N.º 00049-2022: Reglamento de promoción de la salud en el trabajo. https://instituciones.msp.gob.ec/images/Documentos/2024/AC-00049-2022%20NOV%2001%20%282%2.pdf
Ministerio de Trabajo del Ecuador. (2024). Decreto Ejecutivo N.º 255: Reglamento de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo. Gobierno del Ecuador. (trabajo.gob.ec)
Ministerio de Trabajo del Ecuador. (2024). Acuerdo Ministerial N.º MDT‑2024‑196: Normas generales para el cumplimiento y control de las obligaciones laborales en SST. Gobierno del Ecuador. (revistacodigocientifico.itslosandes.net
Montenegro-López, L., & Arana-Blas, J. (2024). Factores de riesgo ergonómico asociados a trastornos musculoesqueléticos en docentes. Revista de Ergonomía e Investigación, 6(1), 45-58.
Monteiro, C. A., Cannon, G., Lawrence, M., Costa Louzada, M. L., & Machado, P. P. (2021). Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system. World Nutrition, 12(1), 19–40. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018003762
Olmedo, L., Henning, M. F., García, S. M., & Pellon Maison, M. (2022). Validación de un cuestionario de frecuencia alimentaria para estimar la ingesta de azúcares libres y alimentos ultraprocesados en población argentina. Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética, 26(2), 137–146. https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.26.2.1565
Organización Internacional del Trabajo. (2024). Ergonomía en el lugar de trabajo y prevención de trastornos musculoesqueléticos. OIT.
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2022). Obesidad y sobrepeso. https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2022). Informe mundial sobre la actividad física 2022: Hacia poblaciones más activas. OMS. https://www.who.int
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2025, 8 de diciembre). Obesidad y sobrepeso. https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
Organización Panamericana de la Salud. (s. f.). Calculadora de riesgo cardiovascular (2019). https://www.paho.org/es/hearts-americas/calculadora-riesgo-cardiovascular
Palma-Leal, X., Costa-Rodríguez, C., Barranco-Ruiz, Y., Hernández-Jaña, S., & Rodríguez-Rodríguez, F. (2022). Fiabilidad del Cuestionario Internacional de Actividad Física (IPAQ)-versión corta y del Cuestionario de Autoevaluación de la Condición Física (IFIS) en estudiantes universitarios chilenos. Journal of Movement & Health, 19(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.5027/jmh-Vol19-Issue2(2022)art161
Román Viñas, B., Ribas Barba, L., Ngo, J., & Serra Majem, L. (2013). Validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire in the Catalan population (Spain). Gaceta Sanitaria, 27(3), 254–257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2012.05.013
Ross, R., Neeland, I. J., Yamashita, S., et al. (2020). Waist circumference as a vital sign in clinical practice: A consensus statement. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 16(3), 177–189. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-019-0310-7
Salazar-Carranza, E., et al. (2021). Sobrepeso y obesidad en docentes universitarios ecuatorianos. Polo del Conocimiento. https://doi.org/10.23857/pc.v6i6.2736
Souza, C. S., Cardoso, J. P., Aguiar, A. P., Macêdo, M. M. S. R., & Oliveira, J. da S. (2021). Work‑related musculoskeletal disorders among schoolteachers. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Trabalho, 19(2), 140–150. https://doi.org/10.47626/1679‑4435‑2020‑5
Tahernejad, A., Mohammadi, S., & Hosseini, M. (2024). Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among teachers: A meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 24, 456. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-12345-6
Tahernejad, S., Hejazi, A., Rezaei, E., Makki, F., Sahebi, A., & Zangiabadi, Z. (2024). Musculoskeletal disorders among teachers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39430711/
Vinueza Veloz, A. F., Tapia Veloz, E. C., Tapia Veloz, G., Nicolalde Cifuentes, M., & Carpio Arias, V. (2023). Estado nutricional de los adultos ecuatorianos y su distribución según las características sociodemográficas. Nutrición Hospitalaria, 40(1), 102 108. https://doi.org/10.20960/nh.04083
World Health Organization. (2022). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour and anthropometric assessment. WHO.
Yue, P., Liu, F., & Li, L. (2022). Neck and shoulder pain among teachers: Associated ergonomic risk factors. Journal of Occupational Health, 64(1), e12345. https://doi.org/10.1002/1348-9585.12345
Yumisaca-Quispillo, J., & Campos-Murillo, A. (2025). Factores ergonómicos y trastornos musculoesqueléticos en docentes latinoamericanos. Revista Latinoamericana de Salud Ocupacional, 15(1), 45-99.
Copyright (c) 2026 Bryan Jonathan Guerrero Jadán,Aimee Vilaret Serpa,Yolis Yajaira Campos Villalta
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
