Workplace Physical Activity Interventions Research Articles

Increasing Employee Physical Activity Using Goal Setting and a Smartphone App.

Physical inactivity is a high-priority public health issue in U.S. worksites. There is evidence that physical activity (PA) goal-setting interventions can be effective. Smartphone apps have also been used to deliver accessible and appealing PA interventions. This article describes the use of goal setting and a no-cost PA smartphone app to pilot an 8-week PA intervention, Project Move 2.0, to increase PA among a nonprofit health and social assistance workforce. The community-based partnership identified intervention strategies that addressed moderators for setting PA goals: feedback, goal commitment, situational factors, and ability. The intervention included the use of a no-cost smartphone app for tracking steps/goal setting, an orientation/health education session, weekly text messages, as well as pre- and post-measures for goal setting for PA behaviors and an intervention evaluation questionnaire. There is limited knowledge on the practical aspects of applying goal setting and the use of a no-cost smartphone app to increase employee PA through a workplace PA intervention. Applying goal setting and the use of a no-cost smartphone app shows promise for workplace health promoters to successfully address employee PA.

Physical activity in the workplace: a cost or a benefit for organizations? A systematic review

PurposeMost adults do not follow the minimum requirements for physical activity despite the benefits such activity can provide toward improving quality of life. On average, an adult spends 60% of daily hours in the workplace, making it essential to create working environments that are favorable to avoiding harmful effects on the health of workers. Toward this end, the application of physical activity programs in a work context is one of the possible interventions. This study aims to carry out a systematic review of the literature to identify the impact of physical activity programs applied in the workplace, on employee wellness and organizational productivity.Design/methodology/approachThe search for reports was carried out in two databases, namely, Thomson Reuters Web of Science and Scopus, according to several inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) was applied to ensure the quality of the study. Microsoft Excel 2016 was used to organize the database to support the data analysis.FindingsThe sample comprised 64 reports published in international journals between 1986 and 2019. From these studies, six thematic clusters were formed: Workplace Physical Activity Interventions, Workplace Wellness, Physical Activity and Organizational Performance, Barriers to Developing Physical Activity Programs in the Workplace, Physical Activity and Sedentary Occupations and Workplace Physical Activity Incentives. The analysis of these clusters confirmed that the implementation of physical activity programs in this context could represent beneficial effects for workers and the organizational system by contributing to a reduction in the rates of absenteeism and presenteeism. However, there are still many organizations that do not implement such programs.Originality/valueThe results of this study are essential for managers of organizations to be able to implement physical activity programs in a work context, similarly to the application of a strategy of corporate social responsibility in an intra-organizational environment. This research may also be useful for professionals in the areas of sports and physical exercise, who want to build their business around physical exercise programs applied to a work context.

O4-3 An evaluation of the Time to Move workplace physical activity intervention

BackgroundWorkplace physical activity interventions have shown positive outcomes for employee health, productivity and absenteeism (1,2). However, the majority prescribe the duration and/or type of activity to be undertaken. In response to strong public opinion that employers should do more to improve the health of their workforce, Public Health Wales, the public health agency for Wales, developed a 12-month pilot physical activity initiative - Time to Move (TTM). TTM allowed participants to use one hour/week (pro rata) of paid work time for any physical activity. We evaluated TTM to understand its impact and identify learning.MethodsUsing pre-experimental time series design, data were collected from participating employees: baseline (June-August 2018), mid-initiative (December 2018) and at 12-months (June-August 2019). Using validated scales where possible, questionnaires recorded: physical activity (MET-minutes/week), general health (0, poor-100, good), mental well-being (SWEMWBS), job satisfaction (1, very dissatisfied-5, very satisfied) and demographics. Biometric measures (baseline, 12-months) included Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood pressure. Analyses used descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and generalized linear modelling. Focus groups explored participants' perceptions of TTM, analysed thematically.Results542 participants completed all measures (63.1% of baseline). Compared to baseline, at 12-months 57.7% reported increased physical activity (30.6% decreased; 11.6% no change) with 75.3% meeting UK activity guidelines (58.8% baseline). Those with the lowest levels of physical activity at baseline (n = 223) increased their weekly moderate activity by > 2.5 hours, whilst those with moderate activity (n = 269) increased by 58 minutes/week. A small improvement was reported in mental well-being (mean scores; 22.4 baseline, 23.2 12-months), with participants with low mental well-being at baseline improving the most. Self-reported health and job satisfaction also improved. However, BMI and blood pressure changes were non-meaningful. Employee attitudes to TTM were positive. Organisational support was a motivating factor for participation, with competing demands a barrier.ConclusionsThe provision of paid time to engage in physical activity can improve employee health and well-being. TTM provides an example of how organisations can promote physical activity and change workplace culture. However, further research should explore the long-term impact of the intervention, including the potential impact of COVID-19-related restrictions.

The economic impact of workplace physical activity interventions in Europe: a systematic review of available evidence

PurposeThere is growing interest in the economic impact of workplace physical activity interventions, but the evidence is still lacking — especially in Europe. Although, some evidence on the return on investment (ROI) is found in literature, the included studies may not be applicable to the Europe situation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to review current evidence on the economic impact of workplace physical activity interventions in European countries.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review on the economic impact of worksite health promotion programs aiming at increasing physical activity was conducted. Five electronic databases (MEDLINE (Ovid), MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, NHS-EED and Emerald Insights) were searched for relevant studies published between 2000 and 2020.FindingsA total of 953 abstracts were screened, and 28 were reviewed, 11 of which met all inclusion criteria. The studies varied substantially in sample size, intervention type, duration and frequency of follow-up measurements, valuation methods and assessed economic outcomes. There is inconclusive evidence for decreasing absenteeism, positive net benefit (NB) and positive ROI. No evidence was found to indicate an effect on self-assessed productivity or job satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study is the first try to take the different working conditions from Europe into consideration. The authors found that working conditions could have some impact on the valuation of absenteeism costs and thereof on the ROI. Further, this study provides insight into how to deploy effective and efficient workplace physical activity interventions, based on a standardized and validated methodology and program scope.

An Evaluation of a Commercialized mHealth Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in the Workplace.

BackgroundUPnGO with ParticipACTION (UPnGO) was a commercialized 12-month workplace physical activity intervention, aimed at encouraging employees to sit less and move more at work. Its design took advantage of the ubiquitous nature of mobile fitness trackers and aimed to be implemented in any office-based workplace in Canada. The program was available at cost from June 2017 to April 2020. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the program and identify key lessons from the commercialization of UPnGO.MethodsUsing a quasi-experimental design over 3 time points: baseline, 6 months, 12 months, five evaluation indicators were measured as guided by the RE-AIM framework. Reach was defined as the number and percentage of employees who registered for UPnGO and the number and percentage of sedentary participants registered. Effectiveness was assessed through average daily step count. Adoption was determined by workplace champion and senior leadership responses to the off-platform survey. Implementation was assessed as the percentage of participants who engaged with specific program elements at the 3-evaluation time points. Maintenance was assessed by the number of companies who renewed their contracts for UPnGO.ResultsReach across 17 organizations, 1980 employees participated in UPnGO, with 27% of participants identified as sedentary at baseline. Effectiveness Daily step count declined from 7,116 ± 3,558 steps at baseline to 6,969 ± 6,702 (p = <0.001) at 12 months. Adoption Workplace champion and senior leadership engagement declined from 189 to 21 and 106 to 5 from baseline to 12 months, respectively. Maintenance Two companies renewed their contracts beyond the first year.ConclusionsThe commercialization of UPnGO was an ambitious initiative that met with limited success; however, some key lessons can be generated from the attempt. The workplace remains an important environment for PA interventions but effective mHealth PA programs may be difficult to implement and sustain long-term.

Impacts of a workplace physical activity intervention on employee physical activity &amp; mental health for NHS staff in Wales: an evaluation of the pilot Time to Move initiative

BackgroundEstimates show that only half of adults in Wales meet the UK recommend guidelines for physical activity. In 2015, the financial burden of physical inactivity to the Welsh NHS was estimated to be £35 million. Workplace interventions promoting physical activity can result in positive outcomes for employee health, wellbeing, productivity, job satisfaction and reduced absenteeism. However, the majority of such interventions are prescriptive in the type/duration of physical activity to be completed. In response to Welsh public opinion that employers should do more to help improve the health of their workforce, Public Health Wales (PHW) developed the Time to Move initiative - a 12-month pilot providing employees the opportunity to use one hour (pro rata) of paid work time per week for physical activity of their choice.&#x0D; MethodsThe Time to Move initiative was evaluated using a pre-experimental time series design. Data were collected using online questionnaires at baseline (June-August 2018), mid-initiative (Dec 2018) and 12-months post-initiative (June–Aug 2019). All measures were self-reported and included physical activity (MET-minutes/week), general health (0, poor – 100, good) and mental well-being (SWEMWBS), job satisfaction (1, very dissatisfied – 5, very satisfied) and participant demographics (e.g. age, gender, pay band).&#x0D; Findings625 participants completed measures at 12-months post-initiative (72.8% of baseline sample), representing just over a third of all PHW employees. Of those completing all relevant measures, 57.7% reported increased physical activity levels at 12-months compared to baseline (30.6% decreased; 11.6% no change). 75.3% of the sample met UK physical activity guidelines at 12-months compared to 58.8% at baseline. Individuals with the lowest reported levels of physical activity at baseline (n=223) made the greatest improvements - increasing their weekly moderate physical activity by &gt;2.5 hours. Those with moderate activity (n=269) increased by 58 minutes/week and those with high activity levels (n=50) decreased by &gt;4 hours/week. Overall, a small but statistically significant improvement was seen in mental well-being over the study period (mean scores, 22.4 baseline, 23.2 12-months), with participants with categorised as having low mental well-being at baseline benefitting the most. For self-reported health, 34.7% increased their rating (change of at least 10 points), 54.6% had no change and 10.7% declined. The proportion very/quite satisfied with their job increased from 64.4% to 72.0%, with 33.4% of individuals reporting increased job satisfaction (19.6% decreased).&#x0D; ConclusionsThe Time to Move initiative demonstrates how organisations can encourage and enable their employees to improve their health. Evaluation findings indicate that the provision of paid time to engage in physical activity resulted in positive outcomes for many employees. However, understanding of the impact of the intervention over a longer-period of time is required, including how continued participation may have been impacted by COVID-19-related restrictions.

Co-Production at Work: The Process of Breaking Up Sitting Time to Improve Cardiovascular Health. A Pilot Study.

Prolonged sitting negatively affects several cardiovascular disease biomarkers. Current workplace physical activity interventions to reduce sitting result in inconsistent uptake and adherence rates. Co-production attempts to improve the translation of evidence to practice through engaging the participants within the intervention design, improving the context sensitivity and acceptability of the intervention. A needs analysis questionnaire was initially conducted (n = 157) to scope workplace behaviours and attitudes. A development group (n = 11) was consulted in focus groups around the needs analysis findings and asked to comment on the feasibility of a proposed intervention. A pilot intervention was then carried out (n = 5). The needs analysis indicated that only 1.8% (n = 4) engaged in occupational physical activity, and 68.7% (n = 103) sat for ≥6 h during their working day. Through the focus groups, an intervention breaking up sitting time hourly with five-minute walking breaks was co-produced. Cultural and pragmatic issues concerning the implementation of frequent physical activity breaks from sitting and the subsequent impact on work productivity were highlighted. The pilot intervention increased the number of breaks from sedentary behaviour from 2 to 11. The co-production methodology resulted in a research- and stakeholder-guided compromise. Large-scale intervention implementation is required before firm effectiveness conclusions can be made.

The Impact Of Incorporating Scalable Workplace Physical Activity Interventions On Obese Female Workers

Few working-age women meet current physical activity guidelines and spend most of their waking hours at work. Workplace physical activity interventions may be ideal for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors among female workers. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of scalable worksite physical activity interventions on the health-related psychosocial measures, physical activity and sedentary behaviors of obese female workers. METHODS: A convenience sample of obese female workers were recruited from a health and social service provider. For 12 weeks, participants (n = 12, mean age 46.11 + 9.40) were assigned to a high intensity interval training group or a step group based on worksite location and duties. Pre and postintervention, participants’ “moves” were tracked during work hours using the Movband™. Occupational sitting measures, exercise benefits/barriers, and health related quality of life were measured. Dependent t-tests probed for differences at the p < 0.05 level. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in participants average daily workday steps from (M = 5,094 steps, SD = 1979.89) to (M = 8,472 steps, SD = 3802.97), p < 0.01. There were significant differences in percent of occupational time spent walking per day from (M = 19.58%, SD = 17.49) to 30.75% (M = 30.75%, SD = 24.65), p < 0.05. Minutes spent walking per day increased from (M = 147.67, SD = 118.50) to (M = 255.76, SD = 195.29), p < 0.05. Minutes spent sitting decreased from (M = 430.33, SD = 264.63) to (M = 360.83, SD = 255.16), p < 0.05. Significant increases in health-related quality of life measures were found in physical functioning (M = 91.25, SD = 2.5; M = 92.92, SD = 8.03), energy/fatigue (M = 41.67, SD = 20.65; M = 56.67, SD = 15.32) and emotional well-being (M = 64.67, SD = 11.52; M = 70.67, SD = 16.11), p < 0.05. There were significant decreases in pre- to post- exercise barriers (M = 31.92, SD = 5.53; M = 29.58, SD = 6.16), and exercise benefits (M = 93.00, SD = 12. 33; M = 89.92, SD = 11.56), p < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in participants’ daily average steps met the recommended minimum 7,000 steps/day. Time spent sitting also decreased. Scalable workplace physical activity may be effective for increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary behavior and enhancing health-related quality of life among female obese workers.

Supporting active ageing before retirement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of workplace physical activity interventions targeting older employees

ObjectiveWith the growing representation of older adults in the workforce, the health and fitness of older employees are critical to support active ageing policies. This systematic review aimed to characterise...

Implementation of a workplace physical activity intervention in child care: process evaluation results from the Care2BWell trial.

Care2BWell was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Healthy Lifestyles (HL), a worksite health promotion intervention to increase child care workers' physical activity. The purpose of this study was to use process evaluation to describe the implementation of HL and determine if different levels of implementation are associated with changes in workers' physical activity. Data were collected from 250 workers randomized to HL, a 6 month, multilevel intervention that included an educational workshop followed by three 8 week campaigns that included self-monitoring and feedback, raffle incentive, social support, and center director coaching. Process evaluation data collection included direct observation, self-reported evaluation surveys, website analytics and user test account data, tracking databases and semi-structured interviews. Implementation scores were calculated for each intervention component and compared at the center and individual levels. Nearly a third of workers never self-monitored and few (16%) met self-monitoring goals. Only 39% of centers engaged with the social support component as intended. Raffle and social support components were perceived as the least useful. Implementation varied widely by center (25%-76%) and individual workers (0%-94%). No within- or between-group differences for high compared to low implementation groups for change in physical activity were evident. Interview themes included limited sustainability, competing priorities, importance of social support, and desire for a more intensive, personalized intervention. Wide variation in implementation may explain limited effects on intervention outcomes. Future worksite interventions designed for child care workers can use these findings to optimize health promotion in this setting.

Effects of a 12-week workplace counseling program on physical activity and low back pain: A pilot randomized controlled study.

Physical activity (PA) is essential in the management and rehabilitation of low back pain (LBP). However, it is not clear that PA interventions in the workplace can improve LBP. This study aimed to investigate the effects of workplace counseling on PA and LBP among workers. We recruited 37 people with 12 weeks of LBP who worked in a manufacturing company in Aichi, Japan. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n= 20) or control group (n= 17). All participants of both groups were affixed with waist-worn accelerometers to monitor PA. The intervention group also received a program of face-to-face counseling with a physical therapist or nurse once a week for 12 weeks to reassure and encourage participants to maintain a high level of PA. PA and LBP severity were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months. PA was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group at 3 and 6 months. In the intervention group, PA significantly increased at 3 and 6 months from baseline, and LBP severity at 6 months improved significantly from baseline. Our data suggest that workplace PA intervention can increase PA and improve LBP among workers.

Self-compassion training within a workplace physical activity program: A pilot study.

Desire2Move (D2M) is an 8-week team-based, workplace program that incorporates competition and self-monitoring to encourage physical activity (PA). The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-compassion (SC) intervention within the existing workplace PA program. University employees (n = 20) were assigned to a SC treatment group or an attention control group. Participants logged their PA minutes using MapMyRun. Treatment group. participants received a 7-week, SC podcast intervention. Participants self-reported PA, SC, and demographic information at pre- and post-intervention. Separate ANOVAs were used to determine group differences. There was not a statistically significant group x time interaction for SC, F(1, 18) = 0.02, p = 0.90, or main effects for time, F(1, 18) = 0.28, p = 0.61, or group, F(1, 18) = 1.70, p = 0.21, g = -0.42 [95%CI = -3.13, 2.29]. There were not significant differences between groups for total PA minutes during D2M, F(1, 18) = 2.15, p = 0.16, g = -0.63 [-1.53,0.27]. Overall, participants engaged in more than the recommended levels of PA each week. This pilot study provided feedback and guidance for future online SC training within a workplace PA intervention.

“Occupational sitting kills; but who cares?”: Quantitative analysis of barriers and facilitators of sedentary behavior in Indian white-collar workers

The knowledge, attitude and practices of employees and employers toward reducing sedentary behavior (SB) and improving physical activity (PA) at Indian workplaces remain unclear. A bespoke questionnaire assessing barriers and facilitators of occupational SB and PA practices as informed by the theoretical framework and behavioral change wheel model was adapted. Two hundred and three white-collar workers (both employees and managers) from eight corporate sectors were inquired about the SB, and PA practices at workplaces. The dichotomous variables of barriers and facilitators were analyzed by nonparametric tests. Excessive sitters had good knowledge (>75%), good attitude (>85%) but poor workplace SB and PA practice (>90%). Workplace SB, or PA practices differed between employers and employees. Low practice of workplace PA or SB interventions may be due to lack of workplace policies for SB interventions.

The effect of workplace lifestyle programmes on diet, physical activity, and weight-related outcomes for working women: A systematic review using the TIDieR checklist.

Physical activity and healthy diets are essential for the prevention of obesity and chronic disease that disparately impact women compared with men. Given the number of women engaged in the workforce, workplace interventions could improve lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes for women. This systematic review aimed to identify intervention characteristics of lifestyle programmes or organizational policy changes in the workplace associated with improved diet, physical activity, or weight-related outcomes for working women using the template for intervention description and replication (TIDieR) checklist. Seven databases were searched for controlled studies published up to March 2019 that included a workplace diet and/or physical activity intervention. From 5,318 identified records, 20 studies (23 articles and 26 intervention arms) were included. Data were extracted on diet, physical activity, weight-related outcomes, and TIDieR components. Findings indicated that group delivery may improve physical activity outcomes, and a high number of sessions may benefit weight-related outcomes for physical activity interventions. Mixed interventions that included tailoring and input from non-healthcare professionals may also enhance physical activity. In contrast, the role of mixed interventions in improving diet and weight-related outcomes was less clear. Overall, workplace health programmes were effective at improving lifestyle behaviours for working women.

Effects of a workplace physical activity intervention on cognitive determinants of physical activity: a randomized controlled trial

Objective The present randomized controlled trial evaluated if a workplace physical activity (PA) program that comprises both a PA component and a psychological coaching component (PA + C) is more effective in changing cognitive determinants of PA than a PA program without coaching component. Design: N = 213 employees were cluster-randomly assigned to two groups: the PA + C group received the MoVo-work intervention, combining a psychological coaching component and a PA component. The PA group received the PA component without psychological coaching. Main Outcome Measures: Strength of goal intention, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, action planning and barrier management were assessed at five time points (before and at the end of the intervention, as well as 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months after the intervention). Results: After six weeks and one year, respectively, the PA + C group showed significantly higher goal intentions (p = .018) and self-efficacy beliefs (p = .006) than the PA group; and, at a descriptive level, a clear tendency towards better barrier management. Conclusions: The results indicate that a workplace PA program, including psychological coaching, may partially improve the effects of a pure PA program on critical motivational and volitional determinants of PA behavioural change among employees.

Interventions to promote work ability by increasing physical activity among workers with physically strenuous jobs: A scoping review.

Aims: The potential benefits of workplace physical activity (PA) interventions are in improving both health and important workplace outcomes. Despite the differences in PA level between physically strenuous and inactive work, the literature reporting the effectiveness of the interventions does not usually differentiate physically active and inactive jobs. The aim of the current study was therefore to collect and synthesise research evidence on workplace PA interventions to promote work ability specifically among workers in physically strenuous jobs by means of a scoping review. Methods: The databases Medline, Cochrane Central and Scopus were used to identify interventions to promote work ability by increasing PA among workers in physically strenuous jobs. An iterative method was used to obtain an overview of the study elements and to extract details on the study design, sample, intervention, outcomes and effectiveness. Results: A total of 47 studies evaluating eight categories of interventions were found. Out of these, 18 reported significant effects on work ability. Positive results came from a range of different interventions, including aerobic exercise, strength training, combined aerobic exercise and strength training, stretching, yoga, consultation and tailored physical exercise programmes. Conclusions: Few interventions were effective in promoting work ability by increasing PA among workers in physically strenuous jobs. In particular, trials based on the demands of work, multimodal interventions and applying wearable technology are needed.

Efficacy of theory-informed workplace physical activity interventions: a systematic literature review with meta-analyses

ABSTRACT This review aimed to assess the efficacy of workplace physical activity interventions; compare the efficacy of those that were and were not informed by behaviour change theory, and outline the effectiveness of different intervention components. A search was undertaken in Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Ovid Emcare (previously CINAHL) and SportDiscus. Randomised, non-randomised and cluster-controlled trials with objectively measured physical activity and/or measured or predicted maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) as outcomes were included in the review (83 papers from 79 trials). Random-effects meta-analyses of mean differences were undertaken. Workplace physical activity programmes demonstrated positive overall intervention effects for daily step counts (814.01 steps/day; CI: 446.36, 1181.67; p < 0.01; i 2 = 88%) and measured VO2max (2.53 ml kg−1 min−1; CI: 1.69, 3.36; p < 0.01; i 2 = 0%) with no sub-group differences between theory- and non-theory informed interventions. Significant sub-group differences were present for predicted VO2max (p < 0.01), with a positive intervention effect for non-theory informed studies (2.11 ml.kg−1 min−1; CI: 1.20, 3.02; p < 0.01; i 2 = 78%) but not theory-informed studies (−0.63 ml kg−1 min−1; CI: −1.55, 0.30; p = 0.18; i 2 = 0%). Longer-term follow-ups ranged from 24 weeks to 13 years, with significant positive effects for measured VO2max (2.84 ml kg−1 min−1; CI: 1.41, 4.27; p < 0.01; i 2 = 0%). Effective intervention components included the combination of self-monitoring with a goal, and exercise sessions onsite or nearby. The findings of this review were limited by the number and quality of theory-informed studies presenting some outcomes, and confounding issues in complex interventions. Future researchers should consider rigorous testing of outcomes of theory-informed workplace physical activity interventions and incorporate longer follow-ups.

The effectiveness of workplace nutrition and physical activity interventions in improving productivity, work performance and workability: a systematic review

BackgroundHealthy lifestyles play an important role in the prevention of premature death, chronic diseases, productivity loss and other social and economic concerns. However, workplace interventions to address issues of fitness and nutrition which include work-related outcomes are complex and thus challenging to implement and appropriately measure the effectiveness of. This systematic review investigated the impact of workplace nutrition and physical activity interventions, which include components aimed at workplace’s physical environment and organizational structure, on employees’ productivity, work performance and workability.MethodsA systematic review that included randomized controlled trials and or non-randomized controlled studies was conducted. Medline, EMBASE.com, Cochrane Library and Scopus were searched until September 2016. Productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism, work performance and workability were the primary outcomes of our interest, while sedentary behavior and changes in other health-related behaviors were considered as secondary outcomes. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full-texts for study eligibility, extracted the data and performed a quality assessment using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk-of-Bias Tool for randomized trials and the Risk-of-Bias in non-randomized studies of interventions. Findings were narratively synthesized.ResultsThirty-nine randomized control trials and non-randomized controlled studies were included. Nearly 28% of the included studies were of high quality, while 56% were of medium quality. The studies covered a broad range of multi-level and environmental-level interventions. Fourteen workplace nutrition and physical activity intervention studies yielded statistically significant changes on absenteeism (n = 7), work performance (n = 2), workability (n = 3), productivity (n = 1) and on both workability and productivity (n = 1). Two studies showed effects on absenteeism only between subgroups.ConclusionsThe scientific evidence shows that it is possible to influence work-related outcomes, especially absenteeism, positively through health promotion efforts that include components aimed at the workplace’s physical work environment and organizational structure. In order to draw further conclusions regarding work-related outcomes in controlled high-quality studies, long-term follow-up using objective outcomes and/or quality assured questionnaires are required.Trial registrationRegistration number: PROSPERO CRD42017081837.

Habit-based workplace physical activity intervention: a pilot study.

Increasing workplace physical activity has important implications for workers' health and well-being. However, few interventions targeting physical activity in the workplace are grounded in behavioural theory. The aim of this study was to develop and pilot a 6-week habit-based intervention designed to promote the development of workplace physical activity habits and increase average weekly step counts. Changes in the strength of workplace physical activity habit and weekly step counts were assessed at 1 and 6 weeks following the intervention. The study was a prospective three-wave within-subjects single-arm intervention study that ran for 12 weeks (baseline, 7 weeks, 12 weeks). During the 6-week intervention, participants received information regarding 10 top tips (10TT) to increase and promote habit formation and wore a pedometer during work hours. Differences in workplace physical activity habit and weekly step counts were compared across baseline (T1), 1 (T2) and 6 weeks (T3) post-intervention using repeated measures analyses of variance. Data from 20 sedentary office workers at a large Australian University were included. The average strength of workplace physical activity habits significantly increased from baseline (M = 3.90) to 1 week post-intervention (M = 4.45), and these effects were maintained 6 weeks later (M = 4.72). No significant increase in step counts were observed across any of the time points (all P > 0.05). The results of this pilot study reveal that workplace physical activity habits can be strengthened via a habit-based intervention. Further research is needed to replicate these findings in larger cohorts of office workers.

Predictors of Success of Workplace Physical Activity Interventions: A Systematic Review.

Despite holding great potential for addressing concerns regarding public health, recent systematic reviews have found effect sizes for interventions targeting physical activity to be small. Before interventions can be improved, the factors influencing outcomes must be identified. This systematic review aimed to identify predictors of success, measured in terms of engagement (eg,involvement duration) and health behavior change (eg,increased step counts), of workplace interventions targeting physical activity. A structured search of 3 databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) was conducted to identify articles published between January 2000 and April 2017. For inclusion, articles needed to test a workplace intervention targeting physical activity and perform a quantitative analysis, identifying predictors of engagement or health behavior change. Twenty-two studies were identified for review (median quality score = 70%). Demographic variables (eg,gender, age) were inconsistent predictors of success. However, employees in better health and physically active at baseline were found to have a greater likelihood of success. It appears that achieving successful results among employees at high risk of poor health outcomes remains a significant challenge for interventions. It is hoped that program developers can use this information to create effective interventions particularly for more sedentary employees.