Be Active Your Way Blog - Physical Activity and Employers

Communities + Employers = Increased Physical Activity

sFranklin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:25:00 -0400

Everyone knows that physical activity is good for us... right? Okay, maybe not everyone, but certainly the vast majority of adults and many, many children, as do policymakers, healthcare professionals, etc. Yet so few of us regularly attain the daily recommendations in the National Physical Activity Guidelines. The million dollar question is: WHY?

The most popular reason listed is time, or lack thereof. For many adults, the amount of time they spend at work and commuting to/from work is in excess of 10 hours a day. Add in other responsibilities - such as children, or perhaps, classes - and there is not much left of their waking hours. While a federal mandate reducing work hours for all would be great, it is clearly not realistic. But, what can be done is to look at how physical activity can be incorporated into the commute and/or the work day, and what role a community plays in helping to make this happen.

Take the commute. There are a variety of ways that physical activity can be integrated into commuting. The National Physical Activity Plan's Transportation and Active Living sector has identified several immediate priorities dedicated to active transportation. Employers, federal and state legislators, as well as communities and individuals themselves must work together if policy change that will encourage active commuting is going to happen.

Communities can insure that bike racks are installed at transit stations and that commuter parking lots are safe, well lit, and in inclement weather, provide clear sidewalks. Communities could work with employers to institute a bicycle sharing program with locations at local transit stations as well as in areas conducive to places of employment. Such programs allow individuals to "borrow a bike" for a very nominal fee and are increasing in popularity.

And now for the workday... when thinking of communities, we often silo them as their own entities, with their own activities and priorities for serving their residents. We don't often think of them working in partnership with the companies, etc. that may be in their boundaries. Working together with employers, communities can make great strides in helping more people log increased physical activity during the workday. Perhaps a brochure could be developed for those working in the community, highlighting facilities, parks, etc. that are available for physical activity. Another thought is using the employees as focus groups to help determine development and expansion of things like walking trails. Is there a lovely corporate campus headquarter that might be the perfect setting for construction of a non-motorized trail that could serve the needs of both the employees and community residents? Can special rates be offered for a community fitness facility to those that are working in the community but might not be residents? Employees might be new recruiting ground for volunteer youth sport coaches or additional teams for existing or new adult sports leagues.

What ideas do you have for how communities can work together with companies, etc. to make it easier for employees and residents to engage in fitness activities?

May is Physical Activity Month: Here's Why and How

JPivarnik — Wed, 04 May 2011 09:39:00 -0400

Smiles abound in the Midwest and throughout the country as things green up and warm up outdoors. Warm weather invites people to be more active, delighting in options that winter weather doesn't afford. While playing and moving outside are enjoyable in themselves, recent research gives even more reasons. Here's a glimpse of what participants learned from the many topics covered at the recent ACSM Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition. You might keep these in mind as you make plans to enjoy May, with the complementary themes of Physical Activity Month and Exercise is Medicine Month.

Sitting still is hazardous to your health

The new science of sedentary behavior, or "inactivity physiology," provides sobering evidence that merely sitting can be hazardous to your health. Len Kravitz, Ph.D., reported on research by Dr. Steven Blair and others, showing that adults and children who spend 70 percent or more of each waking day working at a desk, riding in a car, watching TV or working at a computer are particularly at risk. He explained that sitting results in dramatic drops in lipoprotein lipase, which captures fat from blood and uses it as fuel. This leads to soaring levels of triglycerides, elevated risk of cardiovascular disease and lower levels of good cholesterol. I've seen how exercise improves all those conditions in my patients.

"Miracle-Gro for the brain"

Many of us love to garden, whether for exercise, aesthetics or nutrition. At the summit, Dr. Terry Eckmann appealed to that interest with a vivid simile for the boost that exercise gives to cognitive functioning, saying it's "like Miracle-Gro for the brain." A protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is behind the phenomenon. BDNF increases the growth of brain cells and improves brain functioning. The brain uses about 20 percent of the body's supplies of oxygen and glucose, and exercise boosts the cardiovascular system's ability to deliver them.

Worksite wellness pays off

Employers must tend to the bottom line. Those who implement worksite wellness programs are seeing healthy returns in terms of dollars saved, worker productivity, reduced absenteeism, and other measures. George J. Pfeiffer, president of the WorkCare Group, said most companies see a net return on investment in three to five years. For some, the ROI is as high as six-to-one. Pfeiffer and other panelists reviewed case studies from Target, Chevron, Northrop Grumman and Clark Security Products. Their key suggestions include:

Value worksite wellness. Understand and communicate all the benefits of worksite wellness - financial and otherwise.
Communicate a culture of health. Using formal and informal communication channels, develop a transparent brand for your health management strategy. Focus on vitality and well-being.
Engage your organization from the top down and from the bottom up. Encourage employee engagement by getting buy-in from top and middle management. Also allow for employee volunteers to be your wellness champions within the company.

How can you observe Physical Activity Month at home, at work and elsewhere?

Resource: International Association for Worksite Health Promotion

Can We Catch "Healthy Lifestyles" from Our Co-Workers?

TRichards — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:49:00 -0400

We know from research that obesity can spread through social networks like an infectious disease.

In fact, one model suggests that the rate of transmission has been steadily increasing and may result in an obesity rate that stabilizes at 42% of the population. Of course, research predicting a 42% obesity rate is troubling and alarming, but it also begs a very hopeful question for policymakers: can we start an epidemic of infectious healthy living?

The question has profound implications for wellness programming, particularly in the area of workplace wellness, where an individual can have long exposure to a static social network. For example, the Partnership for Prevention, in it's publication Leading by Example: The Value of Worksite Health Promotion to Small- and Medium-Sized Employers, challenges organizations to "[d]efine, create, and sustain a culture of health that supports your health promotion goals and values." By changing the culture of health, it is presumed, an organization can change the behavior of its social networks.

The Worksite Sector of the National Physical Activity Plan takes the idea one step further. The sector promotes the importance of creating not just a culture of health at the workplace, but also a supportive environment for physically active lifestyles. It's a somewhat novel argument, but one rapidly gaining acceptance in light of the health and economic benefits of exercise.

The Worksite Sector - co-chaired by the American Council on Exercise, the American Heart Association, and the International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association - is currently working on three strategies for promoting physical activity in the workplace:

Identify best practices and model interventions;
Develop a multi-communication and outreach plan designed to engage, inform and inspire leaders to promote active lifestyles in organizations, industries and local communities; and
Develop legislation and policy agendas that promote employer-sponsored physical activity, while protecting individual employees' and dependents' rights.

IHRSA is thrilled by the progress of the sector, some of which was chronicled in the first edition of the National Physical Activity Plan e-newsletter. Driven by remarkable group of strategy leaders and advisors, the sector has begun to lay the groundwork for a fundamental and sustainable transformation of the workplace environment. If work is truly a second home for many Americans, we look forward to the day when the second home is as wonderfully active as the first.

In many ways, the sector approach of the National Physical Activity Plan resembles a grand experiment into whether we can create an epidemic of healthy living. It will be a study of whether the inspiration to live a more active life may be introduced and subsequently thrive in a particular community. Inspiration alone, however, will surely not be enough; it will take thousands of champions from every sector to push the experiment ahead, and I'm looking forward to compelling America's worksite leaders to start pushing.

Do you know a worksite or business leader who would support the goals of the National Physical Activity Plan?

Program Spotlight 12/21/10

SLier — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:42:00 -0400

This week’s spotlight shines on the Spring Training program offered by Girls in the Game, a Chicago-area organization dedicated to improving girls’ health and fitness.

Program Basics

Girls in the Game was founded 15 years ago by a group of women who recognized that their participation in sports as girls helped them develop the strength, voice and confidence they needed to succeed as adults. Since 1995, Girls in the Game has emerged as a leader in girls’ health and fitness, serving 2,500 girls in Chicagoland each year. Girls in the Game's comprehensive, evidence-based programs address the health needs of girls ages 6 to 18, and equip girls with the skills and confidence they need to become healthy, successful young women. Girls in the Game’s After School programs use sports and fitness, health and nutrition education, and leadership development activities to help girls form healthy habits to benefit them now and in the future. Girls meet after school, once a week, and are engaged in sports, health and leadership programming tailored to the specific needs of elementary and middle-school girls.

Spring Training is Girls in the Game's train-the-trainer program that gives qualified youth service professionals the tools and training they need to run a Girls in the Game program at their school, park or youth center. With Spring Training certification, youth service sites and their representatives are certified to run a designated Girls in the Game program for either elementary, middle or high school girls. Created specifically for girls ages 8-14, the program is currently implemented in 30 different schools and sites around the Chicagoland area.

Measuring Success

Kristi Skala is the Training and Evaluation Manager for Girls in the Game. She reports that the success of the Spring Training program is evaluated in a number of ways. Youth service providers who participate in Spring Training evaluate the quality and content of the training itself. They are also provided with three months of follow up support so that potential problems can be addressed and questions answered. Additionally, outcome evaluations will be performed on participants of programs implemented by the first five pilot sites to ensure program fidelity and monitor progress.

Challenges

Research demonstrates the importance of both gender specific and sports programming, and many underestimate the need for structured sports and fitness programs for girls. As Skala points out, girls today still do not have as many sports and fitness opportunities as boys have. This lack of understanding or awareness of the need for gender-specific healthy lifestyle programs for girls often leads to challenges in finding staff and resources to implement Girls in the Game’s programs.

Implementation in Your Community

Skala believes that the Girls in the Game model is highly transferable. In fact, Spring Training exists to give youth service providers the tools to implement Girls in the Game programming in their own communities. Sites that aren’t ready for the full Spring Training program can benefit from one day workshops on a variety of topics. These trainings can help youth service providers run their own programs more effectively and efficiently, while ensuring that youth have a positive and healthy experience.

How are the health and fitness needs of school-aged girls addressed in your community? Share your comments!

Program Spotlight 10-18-10

SLier — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:51:00 -0400

This week we would like to spotlight the Arkansas State University – Beebe Wellness Program, a recently developed wellness program struggling through the difficulties associated with building a successful program with limited resources.

The Program Basics

The Arkansas State University – Beebe Wellness Program (ASUB Wellness) is entering its second year of existence. Upon initiation of the program, they received a copy of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Toolkit. Since then, they have followed many of the guidelines in their programs and especially in wellness coaching sessions with individual employees. They have established an incentive program entitled “Step by Step” focusing on walking and “Walking Wednesdays” to promote physical activity. Be Active Your Way materials are freely distributed to the employees who show interest in physical activity.

Measuring Success

According to Joseph Scott, “Our program success has exclusively been measured by employee participation.” In their inaugural year, ASUB Wellness ongoing events and programs were deemed successful if they could increase participation from start to finish. Evaluation sheets were sent out post participation asking for input on how the employees were affected and what they would change. Most responses were positive. Scott says, “They have already been asking when the incentive program will be back.”

Challenges

The wellness program is financed by the college with a small, $5,000 budget for programming exclusively for college employees. This poses all kinds of challenges when trying to run a wellness program for an entire semester. Joseph Scott mentioned that they have overcome some of the financial burden by:

Asking local vendors to donate prizes and incentives
Holding events/programs that do not take a major toll on the budget
Getting brochures and handouts from major organizations like ADA or AHA as well as government agencies
Partnering with their health insurance provider to procure speakers, handouts, and information

The program is run by a part-time wellness coordinator which limits the time available to set up events and run the program. Another challenge to consider is that, as a state institution, ASUB Wellness encounters many restrictions on implementing incentive programs. It restricts buying the employees basic instruments like pedometers and wellness materials. The last challenge faced is getting the campus interested in wellness. No previous programs were in place to consistently focus on wellness at the college until the ASUB Wellness Program. The wellness coordinator has routinely been asked what the program is and does.

Implementing a Similar Program in Your Community

ASUB Wellness has many tips to offer minimally funded smaller wellness programs. They have discovered that when minimally funded and understaffed you have to:

Reach out for help from larger groups and organizations. This might include getting wellness materials for discounted rates or even free.
Ask local organizations to participate in events. This helps use manpower from the community.
Reach out to individuals specifically in different areas to get more departments involved in activities.
Find ways to incorporate giving incentives for physical activity. This has been very successful and popular among ASUB employees.

Do you have suggestions for this budding wellness program? How could they strengthen their program?

Boomers Step Up to the Challenge

kHawkins — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 08:04:00 -0400

We created a successful physical activity promotion during National Physical Fitness and Sports Month in May 2009. Employees of the Defense Commissary Agency were on the move from May through July 2009 with more than 4,800 people being physically active in the President's Challenge.

With as many as 60 percent of DeCA employees being baby boomers, they were encouraged to commit to being physically active for at least five days each week, over a period of several months. Implementing the President's Challenge provided the opportunity to make physical activity a real part of peoples everyday lives along with a way to track participation across the world.

Here are some tips we used to help us implement the President’s Challenge:

In DeCA, we found that approaching our director, who has a degree in physical education and is a strong physical fitness advocate, created a great opportunity for the support we needed. It really helped getting buy-in from the top down.
Create a competition between sections or regions in your organization. Most people enjoy being part of a team and competing to achieve a goal. In DeCA, each region assigned team captains to garner participation and track data at www.presidentchallenge.org. Employees love talking about their activities and encouraging each other to keep going.
Throughout the challenge and at the end, share examples of events and activities that both teams and individuals can do to make it enjoyable and real for people. Some things we did included walk-run events and walking groups at lunchtime and breaks with many of DeCA's employees participating in fitness classes at military installation recreation facilities.
Share the success of accomplishment through incentives and media promotion. Our people shared how much they enjoyed the activity along with having more motivation to continue being active beyond the challenge. This was such a successful program for our employees that DeCA will participate in the Challenge again this year.

Translating the National Physical Activity Guidelines For Decision-Makers and Practitioners in the Workplace Setting

sHurley — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:47:00 -0400

Work sites are important partners in promoting physical activity with their employees. Healthcare costs can be reduced by having physically active employees. Many organizations recognize that healthcare costs can be reduced by promoting physical activity but lack the tools to do so. The release of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and related information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site provides an opportunity to promote physical activity together with information about physical activity and the management of chronic diseases. Additionally, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends worksite programs to improve diet and/or physical activity behaviors based on strong evidence of their effectiveness for reducing weight among employees. We would like to share several CDC resources for the workplace.

Business Case for Physical Activity

A toolkit will be available that will build on the most effective materials and practices for promoting opportunities for physical activity in the work place. At the same time, the toolkit will include information about the new Physical Activity Guidelines as a key part of promoting increased activity. While the toolkit may be shared directly with business groups, this resource will be particularly useful to nutrition and physical activity promotion state and local community programs, as well as other chronic disease state programs. Look for announcements about this new resource on this blog and on the CDC DNPAO listserv later this year.

Lean Works

As a Web-based resource, Lean Works!, offers interactive tools and evidence-based resources to design effective worksite obesity prevention programs. The site includes an obesity cost calculator to estimate how much obesity is costing a company and how much the company could save by using different workplace interventions. The site also includes a step by step approach for organizations to develop such interventions: Why, Plan, Build, Promote, and Assess.

CDC’s Healthier Worksite Initiative (HWI)

The Healthier Worksite Initiative is guided by an advisory committee made up of representatives from many CDC centers and locations. HWI has worked on improving stairs, the cafeteria, and walking trails, implemented fitness discounts, and modified policies for healthier foods at CDC-sponsored meetings and events. This Web site is comprised of lessons learned from these

CDC activities for program design.

There is also a wealth of new policies and steps for implementing similar programs in work sites. For example, one policy section contains specific policies that impact healthy promotion at federal workplaces, including laws, regulations, and rules to promote voluntary and legally binding behavior. The Web site includes many toolkits available from other programs: general workforce health promotion, nutritious eating, physical activity, preventive health screenings, and healthy choices. There is also guidance on how to use and adapt the toolkits.

Chronic Disease web portal

The CDC Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) will soon have a Web portal providing links to all of the CDC Chronic Disease prevention work site toolkits and resources. Look for this resource later in 2010.

Does anyone have an example of an effective promotion of the Physical Activity Guidelines by a business or at a worksite? If so, we are interested in hearing about it and might be interested in featuring it in one of the worksite toolkits or Web sites.