None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
In Rockhampton 64.1% of adults are overweight or obese and half of the adults do engage in sufficient levels of physical activity (PA) to achieve health benefits. A new partnership between Queensland Health, Central Queensland University and the Rockhampton Regional Council the biggest employer in the region, may improve the health of workers by introducing the 10,000 Steps Workplace Challenge. The effectiveness of this program will be studied. We will examine whether the 10,000 workplace challenge increases physical activity, reduces total sitting time, reduces obesity, and increases quality of life. The benefits may extend to a reduction in chronic disease and health care costs within the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service.
Interventions
To examine the effectiveness of the 10,000 Steps workplace challenge in increasing physical activity of employees and volunteers of the Rockhampton Regional Council using a clustered randomised crossover trial of the 10,000 Steps workplace challenge.
Employees of the council will be randomised into 2 groups: the intervention group will receive the 10,000 steps program first for a period of 6-weeks, and the waitlist control group will receive the 10,000 steps program once the intervention group
To examine the effectiveness of the 10,000 Steps workplace challenge in increasing physical activity of employees and volunteers of the Rockhampton Regional Council using a clustered randomised crossover trial of the 10,000 Steps workplace challenge. Employees of the council will be randomised into 2 groups: the intervention group will receive the 10,000 steps program first for a period of 6-weeks, and the waitlist control group will receive the 10,000 steps program once the intervention group has finished the challenge, followup measurements and questionaires. Everyone who participates in the study will be asked to complete questionnaires about the length of time they sit, their physical activity, their mood, and quality of life at the beginning of the study. Measurements such as height and weight, and hip and waist circumference will also be taken at the beginning of the study, in a private area at each workplace by one of the researchers. At the beginning of the 10,000 steps workplace challenge pedometers will be issued for the participants to keep. Participants will be asked to wear the pedometer each day during the 6-week challenge and to record the number of steps they have taken each day on the Central Queensland University 10,000 Steps web site (www.10000steps.org.au). This website also allows monitoring team progress and provides weekly updates on the team step count- the sharing of individual's step is used as a motivational strategy. Each site will have a ‘champion’ who will guide and facilitate the workplace challenge to co-workers. Both groups will be asked to repeat the questionnaires and measurements at 6-weeks and 12-weeks after the commencement of the study and 6-months after the end of the 10,000 steps program the study. The measurements and questionnaires are expected to take 45 minutes each time they are completed. On completion of the 10, 000 steps challenge, there will be a short evaluation of how the participants found the challenge.
Sponsors
Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Male and female employees of Rockhampton Regional Council will be recruited as participants for this study. Volunteers will be eligible to participate if they work at the Rockhampton Regional Council, either full-time or part-time.
Exclusion criteria
Employees will be excluded if they: Currently meet the physical activity guidelines (150 min of moderate intensity physical activity in the last week); Have a mobility impairment; severe communication disability that compromises the ability to participate in the 10,000 steps workplace challenge or complete the outcome measures; or a cognitive deficit that impairs the ability to read and write; Are pregnant women or women who have had a baby in the 3-months prior to the study as their BMI is likely to vary as a result of pregnancy or recent pregnancy; Are current users of the 10,000 Steps program; If they cannot safely increase their physical activity; If they do not speak English.
Outcome results
None listed