Using the Internet in a Physical Activity Health Promotion Campaign

The 10,000 Steps Rockhampton project is a community-based, multi-strategy health promotion program focussing on physical activity and the social determinants of health in a regional Australian setting. As yet there is no available literature about the process of constructing health promotion Web sites. The chapter describes the processes involved in the construction and evaluation of a physical activity health promotion site. The static side of the site gives health promotion information and messages related to physical activity, along with contact information and registration information for the project. The dynamic side of the site allows online tracking of daily-accumulated physical activity.

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Health Promotion for Small Workplaces: A Community-Based Participatory Research Partnership

Workplace Health & Safety ◽

10.1177/2165079920938298 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 69 (1) ◽

pp. 7-14

Author(s):

Debra L. Fetherman ◽

Timothy G. McGrane ◽

Joan Cebrick-Grossman

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Participatory Research ◽

Workplace Health Promotion ◽

Community Based Participatory Research ◽

Health Promotion Program ◽

Workplace Health ◽

Community Based ◽

Promotion Program ◽

Social Ecological ◽

The Social

Background The majority of U.S. worksites are smaller worksites that often employ low-wage workers. Low-wage workers have limited access to, and participation in, workplace health promotion programs. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) has been identified as a key method to directly engage employers in identifying the health promotion needs of smaller workplaces. This article describes a four-phased process where CBPR was used to tailor a workplace health promotion program to meet the needs of a smaller workplace that employees low-wage workers. Outcomes of this program were measured and reported over time. Methods The CBPR approach was based on the Social Ecological Model along with two additional health promotion models. Publicly available evidence-based tools were also used for this four-phased process which included the following: (a) initial program assessment, (b) program planning, (c) program implementation, and (d) program evaluation. Key strategies for developing a comprehensive workplace health promotion program guided the process. Findings The workplace’s capacity for promoting health among its employees was improved. There were sustainable improvements in the health interventions and organizational supports in place. Conclusion/Application to Practice A CBPR approach may be a way to build the capacity of smaller workplaces with low-wage employees to address the health promotion needs of their workforces. The use of publicly available strategies and tools which incorporate the social ecological determinants of health is of equal importance.

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Physical Activity and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Spanish Employees in a Health-Promotion Program before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Sanitas-Healthy Cities Challenge

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052735 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2735

Author(s):

Evelia Franco ◽

Jesús Urosa ◽

Rubén Barakat ◽

Ignacio Refoyo

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Short Form ◽

Health Promotion Program ◽

Noncommunicable Diseases ◽

Healthy Cities ◽

Sedentary Behaviors ◽

Promotion Program ◽

The Mediterranean

Physical activity and a healthy diet are key factors for avoiding major noncommunicable diseases. The aim of the present study was to analyze how physical activity (PA) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet among employees participating in the Healthy Cities program have been affected during confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample was composed of 297 employees from 40 leading companies based in Spain, who participated in the 5th edition of the Sanitas “Healthy Cities” challenge. The participants (148 women and 149 men), aged between 24 and 63 years old (M = 42.76; SD = 7.79) completed the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) questionnaire to measure adherence to the Mediterranean diet before and during the pandemic. Pearson χ2 tests revealed that workers were more likely to show sedentary behaviors during the pandemic than before (83.5% vs. 66.7%). Additionally, they were more likely to reach high levels of PA (51.2% vs. 64%), and Wilcoxon tests revealed that energy expenditure measured in Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) was higher during the pandemic (4199.03 METs) than before (3735.32 METs), due to an increase in moderate PA. Lastly, a higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet during the pandemic (76.4%) than before (54.5%) was reported. The findings of this investigation suggest a positive effect of working from home for employees involved in a health-promotion program, and highlight the relevance of this kind of action among this population.

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