Influence of a hospital-based wellness program on employee fitness.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in aerobic fitness among female participants in a hospital-based wellness program. Subjects were divided retrospectively into control (n = 5) and experimental (n = 17) groups, based on their frequency of exercise during a supervised exercise program. The control group exercised less than two days a week, the experimental group exercised two to four days a week. Body weight, percent body fat, and estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) were assessed before and after 6- to 12-months of individually prescribed exercise. Pre- and post-test results were analyzed with paired t tests. In the experimental group, body weight and percent body fat remained unchanged (P greater than .05) whereas estimated VO2 max increased significantly (P less than .05). No changes (P greater than .05) were observed in the control group. These results demonstrated that regular participation in a supervised exercise program can effectively increase aerobic fitness.