My Exercise. A Team-based Workplace Intervention for Increased Exercise
Condition: Inactivity/Low Levels of Exercise
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The aim of this research study is to assess the effectiveness of an intervention on exercise
      and health, and to contribute to the understanding of how team-based worksite health
      promotion programs should be designed in order to increase and maintain exercise among
      employees. The study design is a randomized controlled trial.

      There are a number of different theories on the subject of how to affect motivation for
      health behavior change. This study is based on the tenets of Self-Determination Theory (SDT)
      in combination with elements from Motivational Interviewing and in accordance with the Health
      Promotion Guidelines developed by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence,
      NICE.

      It is assumed that if such a program is designed and offered in a manner that satisfies the
      participants' sense of autonomy, competence and relatedness, this will affect the quality of
      the participants' self-regulated motivation and perceived competence for exercise and
      lifestyle changes. As a consequence, a large proportion of the participants will adhere to
      the program and increase their exercise both in the short (5 months) and long term (8
      months).

      The following research questions will be:

        1. Would a team-based health and exercise promotion intervention designed to be needs
           supportive, relative to a control group:

             1. Influence increases in exercise levels, improved aerobic fitness, reduced blood
                pressure, and decreases in waist circumference, and Body mass index (BMI), in
                addition to changes in body composition in terms of reduced percentage of fat and
                increased percentage of muscles?

             2. Influence increases in psychological well-being?

             3. Influence increases in perceived investment in employees' health competence, which
                would positively predict affective organizational commitment and job performance,
                and negatively predict turnover intentions?

             4. Influence decreases in sickness absenteeism?

        2. If so, would changes in psychological needs support, autonomous motivation for exercise,
           perceived competence and self-efficacy in exercise mediate these effects?
    

Detailed description: 
      The principal contribution of this study is the understanding of whether and how a SDT-based
      intervention affects the participants' degree of autonomous motivation and perceived
      competence for exercise, and as a consequence behavioral change in the form of increased and
      regular exercise. That is, the psycho-social processes which are unfolding during the
      intervention, and caused by the intervention.

      The intervention is implemented in a worksite setting and connected to a team-based health
      promotion program.

      This is a cluster-randomized two-group trial that compares a group-based intervention with a
      control group. Cluster-randomization will be carried out at the level of physical location
      consisting of two work teams each.

      Pre- and post-test assessments will be carried out during an individual health screening
      consisting of physiological tests and cross-sectional data collection in the form of
      quantitative and standardized questionnaires. The results are compiled in a health profile
      report. Participants are offered a 15-20 minutes individual consultation with the
      professional health advisor in order to explain the findings, answer quesdtions and giving
      healht recommendations.

      A small collection of the questionnaires and some qualitative interviews will be applied in
      order to collect data on relevant variables during the intervention period as well as to
      assess fidelity and participants' perceptions of the intervention.

      The intervention consists of three elements; two team-workshops, exercise support group
      meetings and a workbook for self-reflection and planning. The intervention will be carried
      out by two health advisors professionals (physiotherapist) trained in order to facilitate and
      lead the team-workshops in a need supportive manner.
    

Intervention name(s): My exercise
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Health Screening I and II Questionnaires on health and lifestyle, physiological test of fitness, physiological health tests and blood profile - compiled in a health profile report. Individual guidance and advice from professional health advisor.
Team-workshop I and II A 2 hours' workshop lead and facilitated by a trained and professional health advisor. It consists of short talks on exercise and health, and on health behavior change and motivation in addition to work with self-reflection and discussion tasks. Competence, support and advice during 2. workshop.
Exercise groups Small groups with similar exercise level and ambitions who support each other in their efforts to establish new exercise habits according to their individual exercise plan
Other intervention name(s): A team-based health promotion intervention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Exercise; lifestyle diseases; well-being