Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees

Background: A 16-week lunchtime walking intervention was designed to increase physical activity in physically inactive University employees. The program was delivered and monitored twice over 7 months to examine feasibility across different seasons. Methods: Seventy-five participants (n = 69 females...

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Main Authors: Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie, Loughren, E., Duda, J., Fox, K.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Human Kinetics, Inc 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41473
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author Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie
Loughren, E.
Duda, J.
Fox, K.
author_facet Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie
Loughren, E.
Duda, J.
Fox, K.
author_sort Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: A 16-week lunchtime walking intervention was designed to increase physical activity in physically inactive University employees. The program was delivered and monitored twice over 7 months to examine feasibility across different seasons. Methods: Seventy-five participants (n = 69 females, n = 6 males; mean age = 47.68) were randomly allocated into a Winter (February start) or Spring group (May start). Participants were asked to complete 3 weekday lunchtime walks and 2 weekend walks. Weeks 1 to 10 were led by walk leaders (group phase) while the participants self-organized their walks during weeks 11 to 16 (independent phase). Yamax pedometers recorded daily step counts and walk group leaders recorded participant attendance in the group phase. Acceptability was assessed via a satisfaction survey and 2 focus groups with participants. Results: A participant pool representative by ethnicity, but not gender was recruited using a range of strategies. The program demonstrated good retention across both groups (73%). The intervention was acceptable to participants. More steps were accumulated in the group-led versus the independent phase. Conclusion: The intervention is feasible in this workplace setting across different seasonal periods. In the future, researchers should examine if the findings can be replicated in a definitive trial and generalize to other workplace settings.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-414732017-09-13T16:05:05Z Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie Loughren, E. Duda, J. Fox, K. intervention strategy health promotion physical activity Background: A 16-week lunchtime walking intervention was designed to increase physical activity in physically inactive University employees. The program was delivered and monitored twice over 7 months to examine feasibility across different seasons. Methods: Seventy-five participants (n = 69 females, n = 6 males; mean age = 47.68) were randomly allocated into a Winter (February start) or Spring group (May start). Participants were asked to complete 3 weekday lunchtime walks and 2 weekend walks. Weeks 1 to 10 were led by walk leaders (group phase) while the participants self-organized their walks during weeks 11 to 16 (independent phase). Yamax pedometers recorded daily step counts and walk group leaders recorded participant attendance in the group phase. Acceptability was assessed via a satisfaction survey and 2 focus groups with participants. Results: A participant pool representative by ethnicity, but not gender was recruited using a range of strategies. The program demonstrated good retention across both groups (73%). The intervention was acceptable to participants. More steps were accumulated in the group-led versus the independent phase. Conclusion: The intervention is feasible in this workplace setting across different seasonal periods. In the future, researchers should examine if the findings can be replicated in a definitive trial and generalize to other workplace settings. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41473 10.1123/jpah.2012-0243 Human Kinetics, Inc restricted
spellingShingle intervention strategy
health promotion
physical activity
Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie
Loughren, E.
Duda, J.
Fox, K.
Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees
title Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees
title_full Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees
title_fullStr Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees
title_full_unstemmed Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees
title_short Step by Step: The Feasibility of a 16-Week Workplace Lunchtime Walking Intervention for Physically Inactive Employees
title_sort step by step: the feasibility of a 16-week workplace lunchtime walking intervention for physically inactive employees
topic intervention strategy
health promotion
physical activity
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41473