Improving Physical Activity and Body Composition in a Medical Workplace Using Brief Goal Setting

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the use of a wearable activity tracker and brief feedback in the workplace to motivate employees to improve activity. Patients and Methods: A total of 135 adult participants were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: control group (blinded to their step activity), intervention group (received counseling based on their step count), or no step-tracking device group. Participants were recruited from June 27, 2016, through February 21, 2018. Results: Most of the 135 participants were women (84%), with a mean AE SD age of 42.6AE10.1 years. Most participants (96%) completed 11 of the 12 weeks of step counts. Comparing treatment groups at week 12 (end of treatment), the intervention group (vs the control group) had significantly more steps (644.8; P<.01), had an 11.1% increase in step count from baseline (P<.01), was more likely to achieve goal (odds ratio¼1.73; P¼.02), increased distance traveled per week (0.46 miles; P<.01) and calories burned (90.6; P<.01), and had a decrease in some bioelectrical impedance measurements over time, including a greater loss in body fat mass (e0.90 kg; P¼.01), percentage fat (e0.96; P<.01), and visceral fat level (e0.60; P<.01). Finally, the intervention group indicated significantly greater satisfaction with their assigned randomization (89% vs 77%; P¼.01) and greater confidence in the effectiveness of their activity tracker (P<.01). Conclusion: Brief counseling accompanied by use of a step-counting device can improve workplace activity, which, in turn, can increase steps and decrease body fat, including visceral fat.

The Effect of Wearable Tracking Devices on Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among Inactive Adults: Crossover Study

“…In this study, a decrease in fat percentage of 0.48% was observed, similar to that reported in a recent randomized controlled trial including 135 adults [ 35 ]. In this study, 32 out of 50 (64%) participants were overweight, as assessed from their fat percentage [ 36 ].…”

The effects of step-count monitoring interventions on physical activity: systematic review and meta-analysis of community-based randomised controlled trials in adults

“…Of the 57 RCTs included in the meta-analyses, 54 RCTs had a parallel design [ 10 – 12 , 24 – 41 , 43 – 57 , 59 – 72 , 74 – 77 ]; 3 were cross-over studies [ 42 , 58 , 73 ]. Seventeen studies were conducted in the USA, 16 in the UK, 6 in Australia, 3 in Canada, Japan and Spain, 2 in Belgium, one each in Brazil, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, and one was European-wide.…”

“…Most did not have specific risk factors, but included those at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥25 kg/m 2 , and those not meeting PA recommended guidelines. Thirty-nine [ 10 – 12 , 24 , 26 , 33 – 39 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 48 – 50 , 52 , 54 – 60 , 62 , 64 – 70 , 72 – 74 , 76 , 77 ] of the 57 RCTs used pedometers; the remaining 18 [ 25 , 27 – 32 , 40 , 43 , 45 – 47 , 51 , 53 , 61 , 63 , 71 , 75 ] used other step-count monitoring interventions such as other body-worn trackers and smartphone applications. The intensity of interventions ranged from the provision of a pedometer or other step-count monitor, often with PA electronic/print resources, written exercise programmes or on-line PA updates, to those that additionally provided individual PA consultations, group counselling or financial incentives [ 10 – 12 , 24 – 77 ].…”

“…Hobbs et al found no relationship between intervention effectiveness and the number of intervention contacts or mode of delivery and found only limited PA data beyond 12 months [ 95 ]. Our review therefore builds on previous work on step-count monitors, by focusing solely on objective physical activity measures in the adult general population, and including a number of recently published larger trials with longer follow-up periods [ 10 – 12 ] and trials of body-worn fitness trackers [ 25 , 27 – 29 , 40 , 43 , 45 , 47 , 51 , 53 , 61 , 63 , 71 , 75 ] or smartphone only applications [ 30 – 32 , 46 ] or combined [ 25 , 28 , 40 , 47 , 53 , 63 , 71 ].…”

Lifestyle Modification Using a Wearable Biometric Ring and Guided Feedback Improve Sleep and Exercise Behaviors: A 12-Month Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study

“…At times, these devices have demonstrated a profound positive impact on health behaviors, such as exercise, sleep, and more ( Dunn et al, 2018 ; Massaroni et al, 2019 ). Wearables are uniquely capable in that they leverage the users data to provide motivation and accountability ( Bianchi, 2018 ; Nanda et al, 2019 ; Düking et al, 2020 ). During sleep deprivation, wearables can encourage the user to get adequate sleep.…”