Participant characteristics associated with greater reductions in waist circumference during a four-month, pedometer-based, workplace health program

Description:
Workplace health programs have demonstrated improvements in a number of risk factors for chronic disease. However, there has been little investigation of participant characteristics that may be associated with change in risk factors during such programs. The aim of this paper is to identify participant characteristics associated with improved waist circumference (WC) following participation in a four-month, pedometer-based, physical activity, workplace health program.

How to cite:

Freak-Poli RLA, Wolfe R, Walls H, Backholer K, Peeters A. Participant characteristics associated with greater reductions in waist circumference during a four-month, pedometer-based, workplace health program. BMC Public Health. 2011; 11: 824. Available at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/824

Methods: 762 adults employed in primarily sedentary occupations and voluntarily enrolled in a four-month workplace program aimed at increasing physical activity were recruited from ten Australian worksites in 2008. Seventy-nine percent returned at the end of the health program. Data included demographic, behavioural, anthropometric and biomedical measurements. WC change (before versus after) was assessed by multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses. Seven groupings of potential associated variables from baseline were sequentially added to build progressively larger regression models.

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