News & Research
On-the-Job Exercise Programs May Pay Off
What is the problem and what is known about it so far?
Many studies have shown that getting regular physical exercise is good for your health. Exercise can improve blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It can help with weight control and sleep problems, strengthen bones and muscles, improve blood flow, increase flexibility and energy, and relieve stress. Exercise is especially important for people with diabetes, who are at greater risk for heart disease and other chronic health problems. However, most people do not get enough exercise. Employers have become interested in helping their employees get more exercise to improve their health and work attendance and lower their health care costs. Many workplaces offer exercise programs for their employees. Researchers are beginning to look at how effective such programs are.
Why did the researchers do this particular study?
The researchers wanted to learn more about whether workplace exercise programs increase workers’ physical activity and improve their health.
Who was studied?
The researchers looked at 138 studies of workplace exercise programs published between 1969 and 2007. These studies included more than 38,000 people in a variety of settings and programs.
How was the study done?
The researchers combined the results from all of the studies and used statistics to draw conclusions about how effective workplace exercise programs are.
What did the researchers find?
In general, workplace exercise programs increased the amount of exercise participants got. Workplace exercise programs improved employees’ fitness, body fat, and cholesterol levels, increased their work attendance, and reduced their stress levels and their risk for diabetes. However, these effects differed quite a bit among different types of workplace exercise programs.
What were the limitations of the study?
This study included many different types of exercise programs offered in different settings to different groups of people. The benefits of workplace exercise programs differ greatly from one program to another, and the benefits were measured differently from one program to another. Also, the researchers in this study looked at several outcomes, such as fitness, diabetes risk, stress, and work attendance. But not all of the studies they included measured all of these factors. Therefore, some of their conclusions were based on small numbers of studies or small numbers of participants.
What are the implications of the study?
Workplace exercise programs in general can improve both the health and productivity of participants. However, more study is needed to find out which types of programs are most likely to be successful.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
