Scheduled for Research Consortium Psychology and Sociocultural Poster Session, Wednesday, April 26, 2006, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Area I


Intervention to Increase School Teachers' Occupational Physical Activity Level

Peggy P.Y. Cheung and Bik C. Chow, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Teachers can serve as the role model for students on active lifestyle, which is beneficial to their health. However, teaching in Hong Kong was reported as one of the occupation that engaged long working hours resulting in a limited free time available for teachers to do physical activities. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a 6-week intervention designed in school setting that aimed to promote school teachers' occupational physical activity level. Teachers (7 males, 25 females; mean age = 28.8, SD = 5.3) from two local primary schools were recruited as participants. Intervention group's participants (n =16) consisted of teachers from one of the schools. They were given walking information leaflets, SMS messages prompting them to be active and they wore pedometer during the intervention period. Also, posters were put up in their school to remind them to be physically active. Another 16 teachers from the other school were recruited as participants of the control group. All participants were assessed for daily physical activity indicated by the step pedometer (SW-700) before and after intervention. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusting for baseline occupational physical activity level was used to determine the post-intervention changes (intervention and control groups) in physical activity level (steps counts). Significant intervention effects (p<.05) between the intervention (+18.3%) and the control (-17.3%) groups' occupational physical activity level was recorded. The study concluded that intervention within the school setting can be successfully applied for the promotion of school teachers' occupational physical activity. Further research can be conducted to determine the long term effects of the intervention.
Keyword(s): physical activity, worksite

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