Workplace physical activity interventions : are comprehensive programs most effective?

Background: Office-based employees face two workplace health hazards: insufficient physical activity and prolonged sitting. Corporate wellness is a highly active, emerging field, and it is in the process of incorporating both real-life workplace experiences and research into recommendations for worksite health promotion. Purpose: To investigate the relationships between worksite physical activity interventions and physical activity behavior and employee reported absenteeism and productivity. Methods: Phase One assessed number and types of physical activity interventions offered by diversified worksites. Phase Two assessed levels of physical activity, productivity and absenteeism of office-based employees. Results: The Worksite Score (indicating multiple or particular combinations of interventions) was weakly associated with employee levels of physical activity at the workplace and productivity, but not associated with breaks from sitting, nor absenteeism