Implementation of a workplace intervention using financial rewards to promote adherence to physical activity guidelines: a feasibility study

Abstract

BackgroundWe designed and implemented the Brigham and Women’s Wellness Initiative (B-Well), a single-arm study to examine the feasibility of a workplace program that used individual and team-based financial incentives to increase physical activity among sedentary hospital employees.MethodsWe enrolled sedentary, non-clinician employees of a tertiary medical center who self-reported low physical activity. Eligible participants formed or joined teams of three members and wore Fitbit Flex activity monitors for two pre-intervention weeks followed by 24 weeks during which they could earn monetary rewards. Participants were rewarded for increasing their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) by 10% from the previous week or for meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) physical activity guidelines (150 min of MVPA per week). Our primary outcome was the proportion of participants meeting weekly MVPA goals and CDC physical activity guidelines. Secondary outcomes included Fitbit-wear adherence and factors associated with meeting CDC guidelines more consistently.ResultsB-Well included 292 hospital employees. Participants had a mean age of 38 years (SD 11), 83% were female, 38% were obese, and 62% were non-Hispanic White. Sixty-three percent of participants wore the Fitbit ≥4 days per week for ≥20 weeks. Two-thirds were satisfied with the B-Well program, with 79% indicating that they would participate again. Eighty-six percent met either their personal weekly goal or CDC physical activity guidelines for at least 6 out of 24 weeks, and 52% met their goals or CDC physical activity guidelines for at least 12 weeks. African Americans, non-obese subjects, and those with lower impulsivity scores reached CDC guidelines more consistently.ConclusionsOur data suggest that a financial incentives-based workplace wellness program can increase MVPA among sedentary employees. These results should be reproduced in a randomized controlled trial.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT02850094. Registered July 27, 2016 [retrospectively registered].

Effects of Brief Fitbit Use on Physical Activity & Cardiometabolic Risk

“…All of these were in the 6-week group. The MVPA results are similar to the workplace study by Losina et al [6] where the average improvement was 31 minutes. Those with better compliance with the Fitbit had substantially higher increases in physical activity.…”

“…Fitbit's relatively low cost ($100.00-150.00), compared to research accelerometers [Actigraph, activ PAL] [2] make them attractive for community and workplace health promotion programs. Increased physical activity has been seen in college students [3], women at risk for breast cancer [4], postmenopausal women [5] and sedentary hospital employees [6] when Fitbits were part or all of a long-term intervention (16-24 weeks).…”

Race Differences in Physical Activity Uptake Within a Workplace Wellness Program: A Comparison of Black and White Employees

“…As a result, they live for fewer years than any other racial/ethnic group and live for more years with chronic health problems. 11 While workplace wellness programs are generally effective in improving physical activity, nutrition, reducing body weight, and reducing healthcare costs, [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] , heterogeneity in specific outcomes may be related not only to differences in the interventions (e.g., nutrition, physical activity, or both) and outcomes measured (e.g., weight loss, adherence to nutrition guidelines, physical activity), but also to individual differences in the people participating in these programs. Due to the black/white differences in overall physical activity 9 , one may posit that uptake in physical activity resulting from workplace wellness interventions may also differ between black and white employees.…”

“…Furthermore, variability in the design of workplace wellness programs may lead to the variability in specific outcomes. For example, financial incentive models have been shown to be effective for improving physical activity, 16,19,20 but these effects seem to differ for individual versus team-based interventions with team-based interventions proving more effective than individual interventions. 19,21,22 However, it remains unclear how team formation (i.e., choosing your teammates or being assigned a team) impacts the effects of workplace wellness programs aimed to improve physical activity.…”

Strukturelle Prädiktoren der Adhärenz für körperliche Aktivität im betrieblichen Setting – eine systematische Übersichtsarbeit

“…Eine Software mit der Aufforderung, eine aktive Pause zu machen, hatte hier keinen Erfolg. Ein Quasiexperiment von Monsey et al [32] [38] dagegen konnte mit finanziellen Anreizen eine leicht erhöhte Adhärenzrate von 58 % erreichen. Stein et al [37] boten in ihrer Untersuchung nicht nur finanzielle Anreize, sondern arbeiteten ebenfalls mit erhöhten Kosten für die Teilnehmer, sollten sich die Werte des Gesundheitsscreenings verschlechtern.…”