Increasing Employees' Health by Workplace Physical Activity Counseling: The Mediating Role of Step-Based Physical Activity Behavior Change.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effects of a 3-month workplace physical activity (PA) intervention on employees' health-related fitness and well-being. Moreover, mediational pathways were examined. METHODS: A longitudinal, quasi-experimental trial was evaluated in Belgian employees. The intervention group (IG: n = 246) received 3-months individualized, tailored PA counseling, consisting of face-to-face counseling and follow-up e-mail and telephone contacts. The reference group (n = 54) received no PA counseling. Outcome measures (assessed at baseline, 3 mo [short term], and 9 mo [long term]) included body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, well-being, and step-based PA. RESULTS: With no changes in the reference group, the IG showed short-term improvements in body mass index (-0.24 kg/m2, P < .001), body fat (-0.88%, P < .001), waist circumference (-1.47 cm, P < .001), and muscle percentage (+0.47%, P < .001). Moreover, with respect to cardiorespiratory fitness, IG participants improved on perceived exertion, both in the short term (-0.91, P < .001) and long term (-0.83, P < .001). Furthermore, perceived physical well-being increased in the IG, both in the short term (+0.57, P < .001) and long term (+0.57, P < .001). The observed intervention effects on body composition, perceived exertion, and well-being were mediated by (increases in) step-based PA. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace PA counseling programs have the potential to enhance employees' health-related fitness and well-being. Importantly, step-based PA behavior change was found to contribute to the postintervention improvements.

Short- and long-term effectiveness of a three-month individualized need-supportive physical activity counseling intervention at the workplace.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the short- and long-term intervention and mediation effects of a 3-month individualized need-supportive physical activity (PA) counseling intervention on employees' PA and sedentary behavior. METHODS: Insufficiently active employees (n = 300; mean age 42 ± 9 years; 78% female) were recruited from a large pharmaceutical company in Flanders, Belgium. A quasi-experimental design was used in which the intervention group (N = 246) was recruited separately from the reference group (N = 54). Intervention group participants received a 3-month behavioral support intervention, which consisted of two one-hour face-to-face counseling sessions and three follow-up counseling contacts by e-mail or telephone at weeks three, six and nine. PA counseling, delivered by qualified PA counselors, aimed to satisfy participants' basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Reference group participants did not receive individualized PA counseling. Outcome measures included objectively assessed and self-reported PA and sedentary time and psychological need satisfaction. Assessments were held at baseline, immediately after the intervention (short-term) and 6 months post-intervention (long-term). Mixed model analyses and bootstrapping analyses were used to determine intervention and mediation effects, respectively. RESULTS: The intervention group increased weekday daily steps both in the short- and long-term, while the reference group showed reductions in daily step count (ES = .65 and ES = .48 in the short- and long-term, respectively). In the short-term, weekday moderate-to-vigorous PA increased more pronouncedly in the intervention group compared to the reference group (ES = .34). Moreover, the intervention group demonstrated reductions in self-reported sitting time during weekends both in the short- and long-term, whereas the reference group reported increased sitting time (ES = .44 and ES = .32 in the short- and long-term, respectively). Changes in perceived autonomy and competence need satisfaction mediated the long-term intervention effects on daily step count. CONCLUSIONS: A 3-month individualized need-supportive PA counseling intervention among employees resulted in significant and sustained improvements in weekday daily step count and in decreased self-reported sitting during weekends. Our findings contribute to the growing evidence of the long-term effectiveness of need-supportive PA counseling. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01759927 . Registered December 30, 2012.

The added value of a brief self-efficacy coaching on the effectiveness of a 12-week physical activity program.

BACKGROUND: Self-efficacy has been found to be an important precondition for behavioral change in sedentary people. The current study examined the effectiveness and added value of including a 15-minute self-efficacy coaching at the start of a 12-week lifestyle physical activity (PA) program. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to a standard-intervention group (without additional self-efficacy coaching, N = 116) or extra-intervention group (with additional self-efficacy coaching, N = 111). Body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular fitness, self-reported PA, and self-efficacy beliefs were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period. Perceived adherence to the PA program was assessed postintervention. RESULTS: At posttest, a significant increase in cardiovascular fitness and decrease in BMI were found in both groups. Significant intervention effects emerged on PA behavior, self-efficacy, and program adherence, in favor of the extra-intervention group. Self-efficacy mediated the intervention effect on program adherence whereas no evidence was found for its role as mediator of PA change. CONCLUSIONS: Adding a 15-minute self-efficacy coaching at the start of a lifestyle PA program is a promising strategy to enhance the intervention effects on PA behavior, self-efficacy beliefs, and program adherence. However, the role of self-efficacy as mediator of the intervention effect on in PA was not fully supported.