TY - JOUR
T1 - Opportunities for increased physical activity in the workplace
T2 - The Walking Meeting (WaM) Pilot study, Miami, 2015
AU - Kling, Hannah E.
AU - Yang, Xuan
AU - Messiah, Sarah E.
AU - Arheart, Kristopher L.
AU - Brannan, Debi
AU - Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.
N1 - Funding Information:
A.J.C-M., H.E.K., X.Y. and K.L.A. had full access to all of the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript. This work was supported by a startup package allowance to A.J.C-M., the senior author from the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine.
PY - 2016/6/1
Y1 - 2016/6/1
N2 - Introduction Despite the positive impact walking has on human health, few opportunities exist for workers with largely sedentary jobs to increase physical activity while at work. The objective of this pilot study was to examine the implementation, feasibility, and acceptability of using a Walking Meeting (WaM) protocol to increase the level of work-related physical activity among a group of sedentary white-collar workers. Methods White-collar workers at a large university were invited to participate in a newly developed WaM protocol. Workers who conducted weekly meetings in groups of 2 or 3 individuals were recruited for the pilot study (n = 18) that took place from January 2015 to August 2015. Seventeen participants wore an accelerometer to measure physical activity levels during 3 consecutive weeks (first week baseline, followed by 2 weeks of organized WaMs) and participated in focus groups conducted during week 3 to document experiences with the WaM protocol. Results The WaM protocol met study criteria on feasibility, implementation, and acceptability among study participants. The average number of minutes (standard deviation) participants engaged in combined work-related moderate/vigorous physical activity per week during the 3 weeks increased from an average of 107 (55) minutes during the baseline week to 114 (67) minutes at week 2 and to 117 (65) minutes at week 3. Conclusion White- collar workers were supportive of transforming regular seated meetings into walking meetings and increased their workrelated physical activity levels.
AB - Introduction Despite the positive impact walking has on human health, few opportunities exist for workers with largely sedentary jobs to increase physical activity while at work. The objective of this pilot study was to examine the implementation, feasibility, and acceptability of using a Walking Meeting (WaM) protocol to increase the level of work-related physical activity among a group of sedentary white-collar workers. Methods White-collar workers at a large university were invited to participate in a newly developed WaM protocol. Workers who conducted weekly meetings in groups of 2 or 3 individuals were recruited for the pilot study (n = 18) that took place from January 2015 to August 2015. Seventeen participants wore an accelerometer to measure physical activity levels during 3 consecutive weeks (first week baseline, followed by 2 weeks of organized WaMs) and participated in focus groups conducted during week 3 to document experiences with the WaM protocol. Results The WaM protocol met study criteria on feasibility, implementation, and acceptability among study participants. The average number of minutes (standard deviation) participants engaged in combined work-related moderate/vigorous physical activity per week during the 3 weeks increased from an average of 107 (55) minutes during the baseline week to 114 (67) minutes at week 2 and to 117 (65) minutes at week 3. Conclusion White- collar workers were supportive of transforming regular seated meetings into walking meetings and increased their workrelated physical activity levels.
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U2 - 10.5888/pcd13.160111
DO - 10.5888/pcd13.160111
M3 - Article
C2 - 27337560
AN - SCOPUS:84976878482
VL - 13
JO - Preventing chronic disease
JF - Preventing chronic disease
SN - 1545-1151
IS - 6
M1 - 160111
ER -