Association Between Business Travel, Health-Related Behaviors, and Adiposity

Objective To evaluate the associations between frequency of business travel and health behaviors and adiposity. Methods Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of de-identified electronic medical records from 795 corporate physical exams. Results Business travel frequency demonstrates a curvilinear relationship with body mass index and body composition in men and women, with domestic and international travel. Linear and quadratic term beta coefficients indicate stronger associations between the sum of domestic and international travel and BMI, body fat percentage, and visceral adipose tissue in women than men, after accounting for age, exercise, and sleep. Based on our male sample population, international travel frequency has a greater influence on adiposity than summed (mostly domestic) travel. Conclusions Frequent business travel adversely affects body composition, with differences by gender and type of travel.