An mHealth Workplace-Based “Sit Less, Move More” Program: Impact on Employees’ Sedentary and Physical Activity Patterns at Work and Away from Work

Judit Bort-Roig, Emilia Chirveches-Pérez, Maria Giné-Garriga, Lydia Navarro-Blasco, Roser Bausà-Peris, Pedro Iturrioz-Rosell, Angel M. González-Suárez, Iván Martínez-Lemos, Emma Puigoriol-Juvanteny, Kieran Dowd and Anna Puig-Ribera
Additional contact information
Judit Bort-Roig: Sport and Physical Activity Research Group, Centre for Health and Social Care Research, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Barcelona, Spain
Emilia Chirveches-Pérez: Research Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Centre for Health and Social Care Research, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Barcelona, Spain
Maria Giné-Garriga: Department of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sport Sciences (FPCEE) Blanquerna, Ramon Llull University, 08022 Barcelona, Spain
Lydia Navarro-Blasco: Occupational Health Service, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
Roser Bausà-Peris: Occupational Health Service, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
Pedro Iturrioz-Rosell: Unidad Docente Pluridisciplinar de Atención Familiar y Comunitaria, Hospital Universitario de Donostia, 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Angel M. González-Suárez: Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country, 01007 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Iván Martínez-Lemos: Well-Move Research Group (HI-23), Faculty of Educational Sciences and Sports, University of Vigo, 36005 Pontevedra, Spain
Emma Puigoriol-Juvanteny: Tissue Repair and Regeneration Laboratory (TR2Lab), Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
Kieran Dowd: Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Athlone Institute of Technology, N37 HD68 Athlone, Co. Westmeath, Ireland
Anna Puig-Ribera: Sport and Physical Activity Research Group, Centre for Health and Social Care Research, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Barcelona, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-10

Abstract: Background: Most workplace interventions that aim to reduce sedentary behaviour have 38 focused on employees’ sedentary patterns at-work but less have focused on understanding the 39 impact beyond working time. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a 13-week m-40 health workplace-based ‘sit less, move more’ intervention (Walk@WorkApp; W@W-App) on 41 physical activity (PA) and sitting in desk-based employees at-work and away from work. Methods: Participants ( n = 141) were assigned by hospital to an intervention group (IG; used the W@W-App; n = 90) or an active comparison group (A-CG; monitored occupational activity; n = 51). The W@W-App, installed on the participants´ own smartphones, provided real-time feedback for occupational sitting, standing, and stepping, and gave access to automated strategies to sit less and move more at work. Changes between groups were assessed for total sitting time, sedentary bouts and breaks, and light and moderate-to-vigorous PA (activPAL3TM; min/day) between the baseline and after program completion. Results: Compared to the A-CG, employees that used the W@W-App program increased their number of daily breaks and the time spent on short sedentary bouts (<20 min, p = 0.047) during weekends. Changes in shortest sedentary bouts (5–10 min) during weekends were also statistically significant ( p < 0.05). No changes in workday PA or sitting were observed. Conclusion: Desk-based employees seemed to transfer the W@W-App program knowledge outside of work. Evaluating the impact of workplace (mHealth-based or not) interventions at work but also away from work would provide a better understating of the impact of such interventions.

Keywords: mHealth; occupational health; workplace; sedentary behaviour; sitting (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 (1)

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