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Physical Activity for Campus Employees: A University Worksite Wellness Program
Carling E Butler1, B Ruth Clark, Tamara L Burlis
1Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
A worksite wellness program significantly improved physical activity and cardiovascular health in university employees. The program enhanced daily step counts and reduced cardiovascular disease risk factors, demonstrating its effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Public Health
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Workplaces are suitable settings for implementing health and wellness initiatives.
- Understanding exercise self-efficacy is crucial for employee well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess exercise self-efficacy in university employees.
- To evaluate the impact of a worksite wellness program on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
Main Methods:
- 121 university employees participated (85% female).
- The program involved health assessments, personal reports, 8 weeks of pedometer-based activity tracking, and weekly wellness sessions.
- Physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and CVD risk factors were measured at baseline and follow-up.
Main Results:
- Daily step counts significantly increased from baseline to Week 8 (P < .0001).
- Improvements were noted across all weight categories.
- Exercise self-efficacy positively correlated with baseline physical activity (P < .05).
- Modest improvements were observed in cardiorespiratory fitness and key CVD risk factors (P < .01).
Conclusions:
- The worksite wellness program effectively enhanced physical activity and improved CVD risk factors among university employees.
- Identified exercise barriers and outcome expectations can inform future program development.
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