Increasing Physical Activity: Designing and Testing a Workplace Intervention

Description

This project was funded by the BUPA Foundation and was awarded to the Institute of Psychological Sciences at the University of Leeds. This important UK-first physical activity trial, led by Dr Rebecca Lawton, aimed to promote good health by making people aware of the benefits of physical activity, encouraging employers to provide an environment conducive to it and staff to practise it. The study was run in collaboration with the Centre for Workplace Health at the Health & Safety Laboratory, an agency of the Health & Safety Executive.

The work place is an excellent setting to promote physical activity. This 36-month study developed and evaluated a flexible and problem-based intervention to promote physical activity. The intervention targeted Awareness, Motivation and Environment (AME) and was tailored to five organisations: Wrexham County Borough Council, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, First Group (Leeds and York), Health & Safety Laboratory and the University of Leeds.