Examining Exercise, Health Coaching and Meditation for University Employees

Motor Activity Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Healthy Staff Initiative Study: Examining Exercise, Health Coaching and Meditation for University Employees: a Randomized Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Terminated

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02936726
• Other study ID #: STU 2016 - 121
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 2016
• Est. completion date: September 2017

Study information

• Verified date: January 2020
• Source: York University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

There is evidently great potential in implementing workplace health promotion programs, but more randomized trials are needed to determine which interventions are worksite-effective in helping to decrease inactive behaviors and increase engagement in healthy lifestyle activities. For employers, it could mean improving the health and productivity of employees. For workers, especially those in physically and/or psychologically demanding positions, it could mean developing strength, muscular endurance and agility to reduce musculoskeletal pain while developing the stress reduction skills that reduce long-term sickness and absenteeism risks. While changing behavior in a complex workplace is, as seen in multiple studies, difficult due to the need to change workplace and organizational culture between employers and employees, this study aims to identify the effectiveness of workplace interventions in relation to counseling for university employees to increase overall work fitness without affecting any hierarchal interactions at the work site. Simply put, the investigators will examine the benefits of a workplace exercise and mindfulness (two-prong) intervention (in combination) vs. a group who just receive a workplace exercise intervention. Both interventions will be guided by health coaches. Given the limited research with health coaching and workplace interventions for university workers, the aim is to contribute to a developing research literature. This study is geared to engage university employees at their workplace over a 3 month period. Participants will be assessed through pre and post physical and psychological measures and will also undergo semi-structured interviews (SSI).

Description:

There is evidently great potential in implementing workplace health promotion programs, but more randomized trials are needed to determine which interventions are worksite-effective in helping to decrease inactive behaviors and increase engagement in healthy lifestyle activities. For employers, it could mean improving the health and productivity of employees. For workers, especially those in physically and/or psychologically demanding positions, it could mean developing strength, muscular endurance and agility to reduce musculoskeletal pain while developing the stress reduction skills that reduce long-term sickness and absenteeism risks. While changing behavior in a complex workplace is, as seen in multiple studies, difficult due to the need to change workplace and organizational culture between employers and employees, this study aims to identify the effectiveness of workplace interventions in relation to counseling for university employees to increase overall work fitness without affecting any hierarchal interactions at the work site. Simply put, the investigators will examine the benefits of a workplace exercise and mindfulness (two-prong) intervention (in combination) vs. a group who just receive a workplace exercise intervention. Both interventions will be guided by health coaches. Given the limited research with health coaching and workplace interventions for university workers, the aim is to contribute to a developing research literature. This study is geared to engage university employees at their workplace over a 3 month period. Participants will be assessed through pre and post physical and psychological measures and will also undergo semi-structured interviews (SSI). The investigators hypothesize that making available these various fitness and well-being programs for university employees will effectively improve their overall fitness (peak VO2) and psychological health (stress, depression, anxiety, work satisfaction), making them more efficient, positive and work-productive. Specifically, the investigators hypothesize that the exercise and mindfulness meditation group will demonstrate significant improvements when compared to the group solely receiving exercise-oriented health coaching. Improvements will be seen across all measures of physical (such as VO2 peak and BMI) and psychological (such as depression, stress, anxiety, work-life balance) function and will be sustained at 3 month follow-up, indicating a more effective means of initiating fitness at the workplace

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Terminated
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: September 2017
• Est. primary completion date: September 2017
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 65 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Employees at York University;

• fluency in English;

• provision of informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• currently engaged in regular exercise programs or routines which meet or exceed the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines

• neurological or musculoskeletal co-morbidities inhibiting participation in exercise program

• > 65 years old;

• medical history of cardiovascular diseases such as CAD and CHF, uncontrolled hypertension

• currently engaged in a mindfulness meditation program or meditative practice at advanced levels;

• not in possession of a smartphone (android/i-phone)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Motor Activity

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Exercise, Health Coaching and Meditation
Comparing Exercise, Health Coaching and Meditation In Combination
• Exercise and Health Coaching
Comparing Exercise and Health Coaching Alone

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	York University	Toronto	Ontario

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
York University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

References & Publications (3)

Jakobsen MD, Sundstrup E, Brandt M, Kristensen AZ, Jay K, Stelter R, Lavendt E, Aagaard P, Andersen LL. Effect of workplace- versus home-based physical exercise on pain in healthcare workers: study protocol for a single blinded cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2014 Apr 7;15:119. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-15-119. — View Citation

Marshall AL. Challenges and opportunities for promoting physical activity in the workplace. J Sci Med Sport. 2004 Apr;7(1 Suppl):60-6. Review. — View Citation

van Berkel J, Boot CR, Proper KI, Bongers PM, van der Beek AJ. Effectiveness of a worksite mindfulness-based multi-component intervention on lifestyle behaviors. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2014 Jan 27;11:9. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-11-9. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	VO2 Peak	Assess changes in VO2 peak over time	Baseline, 12 weeks and 24 weeks
Secondary	Psychological Questionnaires	Assess changes over time	Baseline, 12 weeks and 24 weeks