Walking to Wellness in an ageing sedentary university community

Participants allocated to the intervention group will participate in a 12-week worksite-based physical activity intervention based around increasing their average daily work day steps. The intervention will comprise 2 distinct treatment phases targeting behaviour adoption (weeks 1-4) and adherence (weeks 5-12) using ‘Stages of Behaviour Change’ principles. The adoption phase of the walking intervention will consist of individually targeted supervised 60-minute education/information group sessions of 5-6 participants held once per week. The adoption pahase group sessions will be facilitated by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist. Participants will discuss the benefits of becoming more active; how to initiate behaviours to achieve activity goals; how to identify strategies for overcoming lapses etc); how to set individual steps per day goals; and how to self monitor progress using the pedometer and a walking diary to record work day steps. Each session will conclude with a 20 minute group walk. The adherence phase of the walking intervention will be self-directed and remotely monitored to encourage participant compliance and progression. Participants will select their own preferred walking option(s) from three alteratives, depending on their own life circumstances or individual preference with the intention of progressively increasing average work day steps. The first of these walking options, termed “walking routes” will use prescribed walks around the campus over which participants will be asked to complete at least 20-30 minutes of continuous, brisk walking every work day. The second walking option, termed “walking within tasks” will encourage participants to accumulate step counts throughout the working day. Rather than prescribed routes, the office, lectures and seminars will be targeted as environments where tasks could be completed standing and walking, rather than sitting, for example “walk and talk” tutorials or meetings. The third walking option, termed “walking for transport” will provide participants with an information pack to facilitate safe walking to and/or from work, using identified walking paths and public transport facilities. Particpiants will be encouraged to select a mix the options from day-to-day depending on their preferences.