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Cited by 741Physical Activity and HealthWorkplace Health and Well-beingHealth Promotion and Cardiovascular Prevention

Meta-analysis of workplace physical activity interventions

Open access
Conn, Vicki S., Hafdahl, Adam R., Cooper, Pamela S., Brown, Lori M., Lusk, Sally L.·2009·American Journal of Preventive Medicine
DOI 10.1016/j.amepre.2009.06.008PMC PMC2758638
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Abstract

Context Most adults do not achieve adequate physical activity levels. Despite the potential benefits of worksite health promotion, no previous comprehensive meta-analysis has summarized health and physical activity behavior outcomes from such programs. This comprehensive meta-analysis integrated the extant wide range of worksite physical activity intervention research.Evidence acquisition Extensive searching located published and unpublished intervention studies reported from 1969 through 2007. Results were coded from primary studies. Random-effects meta-analytic procedures, including moderator analyses, were completed in 2008.Evidence synthesis Effects on most variables were substantially heterogeneous because diverse studies were included. Standardized mean difference (d) effect sizes were synthesized across approximately 38,231 subjects. Significantly positive effects were observed for physical activity behavior (0.21); fitness (0.57); lipids (0.13); anthropometric measures (0.08); work attendance (0.19); and job stress (0.33). The significant effect size for diabetes risk (0.98) is less robust given small sample sizes. The mean effect size for fitness corresponds to a difference between treatment minus control subjects' means on VO2max of 3.5 mL/kg/min; for lipids, -0.2 on the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein; and for diabetes risk, -12.6 mg/dL on fasting glucose.Conclusions These findings document that some workplace physical activity interventions can improve both health and important worksite outcomes. Effects were variable for most outcomes, reflecting the diversity of primary studies. Future primary research should compare interventions to confirm causal relationships and further explore heterogeneity.

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  • These improvements are relatively strong when considered in the broader field of physical activity interventions.

    “These improvements are relatively strong when considered in the broader field of physical activity interventions.”

    From Effectiveness of wearable activity trackers to increase physical activity and improve health: a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2022) · cites this paper as [70]

    The Discussion describes the physical activity, fitness, and health benefits as modest, not relatively strong. It also reports that the physical activity effect was similar to one prior worksite synthesis and smaller than another; our copy provides no page number for these passages. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. [11]Shephard RJ Worksite fitness and exercise programs: a review of methodology and health impact Am J Health Promot 1996 10 6 436 52 10163310
  2. [30]Barfield BR Evaluation of the effects of health risk appraisals and health promotion teaching on lifestyle behaviors [Dissertation] Birmingham Alabama University of Alabama 1992
  3. [83]Hubball Development and evaluation of a worksite health promotion rpgram: application of critical self-directed learning for exercise behavior change [dissertation] University of British Columbia 1996
  4. [147]Von Schlumperger B Formation and maintenance of an exercise habit: an exploratory study of a self-management approach [Dissertation] Univesity of Oregon 1985
  5. [150]Wilson LFM The effects of an exercise conditioning program on reducing the stress response in nurses [dissertation] Detroit Wayne State University 1985
  6. [156]Musich S Adams L DeWolf G Edington D A case study of 10-year health risk appraisal participation patterns in a comprehensive health promotion program Am J Health Promot 2001 15 237 40 11349344

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Authors
Conn, V. S., Hafdahl, A. R., Cooper, P. S., Brown, L. M., & Lusk, S. L.
Affiliations
  • University of Missouri (US)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (US)
  • University of Michigan (US)
Corresponding author
Conn, Vicki S.
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-10
Volume
37
Issue
4
Pages
330-339
ISSN
0749-3797 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.amepre.2009.06.008
PMC
PMC2758638
OpenAlex
W1984831078
Cited by
741
References
148
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 106 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 62 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 59 · 2015: 52 · 2014: 60 · 2013: 55 · 2012: 41
FWCI
3.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • American Journal of Preventive Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Nursing Research (R01NR009656)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Health Promotion and Cardiovascular Prevention
Keywords
workplace physical activity interventions, workplace health promotion, physical activity behavior, cardiorespiratory fitness, VO2max, serum lipids, TC/HDL-C ratio, anthropometric measures, employee attendance, occupational stress, diabetes risk, fasting blood glucose, intervention heterogeneity
MeSH terms
Health Status, Humans, Job Satisfaction, Leisure Activities, Motor Activity, Physical Fitness, Quality of Life, Program Evaluation, Health Behavior, Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic, Occupational Health, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Workplace

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