OBJECTIVES: This study examined the health-related effects of two worksite interventions, physical exercise and reduced workhours, on women employed in dentistry. METHODS: Six workplaces were randomized to one of the following three conditions: (i) 2.5 hours of weekly, mandatory physical exercise of middle-to-high intensity to be performed during workhours (N=62), (ii) a reduction of full-time weekly workhours from 40 to 37.5 hours (N=50), and (iii) reference. In all, 177 women participated. Biomarkers and self-ratings in questionnaires were obtained before the intervention (T (1)), and six (T (2)) and 12 months (T (3)) after the intervention. RESULTS: The results showed increased levels of physical activity and exercise in all of the groups, the level of physical exercise being significantly greater in the physical exercise group. Repeated-measures analyses of variance using data from T (1)and T (3)for biological measures and all three time points for self-ratings produced significant interaction effects for glucose, waist-to-hip ratio, and work ability and clear trends for general symptoms and upper-extremity disorders. Posthoc analyses showed that the results of the health-related measures differed between the interventions, decreased glucose and upper-extremity disorders in the exercise group, and increased high-density lipoprotein and waist-to-hip ratio among those working reduced hours. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the two interventions had small and varied effects on biomarkers and self-reports of different aspects of health among women. It is suggested that interventions involving a modest reduction in workhours seem to be more effective if these hours are used for physical exercise.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: This study examined the health-related effects of two worksite interventions, physical exercise and reduced workhours, on women employed in dentistry. METHODS: Six workplaces were randomized to one of the following three conditions: (i) 2.5 hours of weekly, mandatory physical exercise of middle-to-high intensity to be performed during workhours (N=62), (ii) a reduction of full-time weekly workhours from 40 to 37.5 hours (N=50), and (iii) reference. In all, 177 women participated. Biomarkers and self-ratings in questionnaires were obtained before the intervention (T (1)), and six (T (2)) and 12 months (T (3)) after the intervention. RESULTS: The results showed increased levels of physical activity and exercise in all of the groups, the level of physical exercise being significantly greater in the physical exercise group. Repeated-measures analyses of variance using data from T (1)and T (3)for biological measures and all three time points for self-ratings produced significant interaction effects for glucose, waist-to-hip ratio, and work ability and clear trends for general symptoms and upper-extremity disorders. Posthoc analyses showed that the results of the health-related measures differed between the interventions, decreased glucose and upper-extremity disorders in the exercise group, and increased high-density lipoprotein and waist-to-hip ratio among those working reduced hours. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the two interventions had small and varied effects on biomarkers and self-reports of different aspects of health among women. It is suggested that interventions involving a modest reduction in workhours seem to be more effective if these hours are used for physical exercise.
Authors: Arianne P Verhagen; Sita M A Bierma-Zeinstra; Alex Burdorf; Siobhán M Stynes; Henrica C W de Vet; Bart W Koes Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2013-12-12
Authors: Shawn C Roll; Kryztopher D Tung; Heng Chang; Tina A Sehremelis; Yoko E Fukumura; Samantha Randolph; Jane L Forrest Journal: J Am Dent Assoc Date: 2019-04-25 Impact factor: 3.634
Authors: Toon W Taris; Jan Fekke Ybema; Debby G J Beckers; Marieke W Verheijden; Sabine A E Geurts; Michiel A J Kompier Journal: Int J Behav Med Date: 2011-12