Factors associated with enrollment in an employee fitness center

Employee fitness programs may be evaluated by comparing program participants with nonparticipants on program outcome variables. This study was designed to identify how participants in an employee fitness program may selectively differ from nonparticipants. Joiners were more likely to have engaged in prior fitness activity, to consider fitness a high priority, and to have more positive attitudes about keeping fit. Traditional factors such as demographic or health status variables were not different between joiners and nonjoiners. Although the fitness center was not systematically selecting the more fit employee, participants were different from nonparticipants in terms of attitudinal and behavioral factors which reflect a health promotion orientation.