The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically shifted the way we work, with more people than ever before transitioning to remote work. However, this shift has also led to a concerning decline in physical activity levels among office and desk workers. Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have developed a pioneering physical activity promotion program specifically targeted at remote workers in Japan. This blog post explores the findings of their study and offers insights into effective ways to encourage an active lifestyle for those working from home.
Tackling the Sedentary Trap
Certainly, the global move to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic has made physical activity far more difficult for office and desk workers. Studies in the past concluded that people who work from home tend to be more inactive, which is not good for their health. The public health danger in this continuing pattern is that physical activity and regular exercise are crucial for overall wellness and preventing chronic disease.
In response to this problem, researchers from the University of Tsukuba conducted a small open-label randomized controlled trial with 52 teleworkers in Japan. Participants received an 8-week multicomponent physical activity promotion program delivered distantly and were randomized to the intervention group or control group.
A Real Solution to Physical Activity Promotion
Take-home — This study applied a multicomponent physical activity promotion program that consisted of multiple elements, including:
- 1. Participants in the intervention group received activity trackers that were used to monitor their physical activity over time.
- 2. Weekly Challenges: they were prompted to meet physical activity targets every week, such as walking a certain amount of steps or completing exercise programs.
- 3. Motivational Coaching: the participants were coached by a trained specialist to keep them motivated and invested in the program.
- 4. Educational Resources — The IG had access to a broad range of educational materials and resources around the benefits of physical activity, and how to encourage them by embedding healthier lifestyle habits.
Some Unexpected Discoveries and What They Mean
The findings of the study were a bit surprising. Although there was no change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity over the 8-week period when comparing the intervention and control group, there were higher levels of various physical activity domains within the intervention group. These increases occurred in the number of steps taken per working day, along with improvements in other measures of physical activity.
Surprisingly, even the control group increased their step count substantially by 895 steps per working day despite only receiving minimal intervention in the form of posters. This also indicates that something as simple as an informational resource can still be related to increased physical activity among remote workers.
This study shows that a multicomponent physical activity promotion program would be practicable in Japan and suggests its effectiveness. The researchers highlight that these findings could be leveraged to create targeted action plans to increase physical activity among remote workers, improving their health and well-being in general.
