Can Childcare Work Be Designed to Promote High Intensity Physical Activity for Improved Fitness and Health? A Proof of Concept Study of the Goldilocks Principle

Anders Fritz Lerche, Maja Vilhelmsen, Kathrine Greby Schmidt, Rasmus Kildedal, Natja Launbo, Pernille Kold Munch, Mark Lidegaard, Sandra Schade Jacobsen, Charlotte Lund Rasmussen, Svend Erik Mathiassen, Leon Straker and Andreas Holtermann
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Anders Fritz Lerche: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Maja Vilhelmsen: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Kathrine Greby Schmidt: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Rasmus Kildedal: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Natja Launbo: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Pernille Kold Munch: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Mark Lidegaard: Novo Nordisk Health & Safety, Novo Nordisk A/S, 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark
Sandra Schade Jacobsen: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Charlotte Lund Rasmussen: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Svend Erik Mathiassen: Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, University of Gävle, 801 76 Gävle, Sweden
Leon Straker: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
Andreas Holtermann: The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-23

Abstract: Childcare workers are reported to have high variation in physical activity during work hours, but also to sit for about half of the workday and have almost no high intensity physical activity (HIPA). No study has investigated if their work can be re-designed to introduce HIPA, thus promoting fitness and health according to the Goldilocks principle. This study investigated the feasibility of designing pedagogical games (‘Goldilocks-games’) intended to lead to more HIPA. Heart rate was measured in nineteen childcare workers during Goldilocks-games, and compared to measurements during a regular workday. Worker perceptions of feasibility, and researcher observations of contextual factors were also collected. The Goldilocks-games (33 min) elicited significantly more HIPA (18/33 min) compared to the most active period of equal length on a regular workday (0.5/33 min). Seventy-four-percent of the childcare workers reported that it was feasible to integrate the Goldilocks-games pedagogically, and seventy-two-percent could see themselves using them. Thus, we found it possible to re-design a work task in childcare according to the Goldilocks principle so that it leads to substantial time with HIPA. The sustainability of Goldilocks-games in childcare, and their effectiveness in improving fitness and health among childcare workers, needs to be tested in further studies.

Keywords: physical activity; sedentary behavior; childcare workers; work environment; health promotion; workplace (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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