Physical Activity for Campus Employees

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) persists as the leading cause of mortality in the United States and accounts for 17 percent of the nation's overall health expenditures. Although the mortality rate of CVD has declined in recent years, the burden of disease remains high. Currently, 1 in 3 Americans has some form of CVD. Additionally, according to a recent policy statement published by the American Heart Association (AHA), 40% of the population is projected to have some form of CVD by 2030. Furthermore, the AHA has projected that the cost to treat CVD will triple by 2030. The prevalence and rising financial burden of CVD demonstrate the urgency for effective implementation of disease prevention strategies.

Evidence suggesting the majority of CVD is preventable through modifiable risk factor management continues to grow. Nonetheless, difficulty controlling modifiable risk factors remains an issue for many Americans. The magnitude of this challenge is supported by a study revealing that 78% of adults are candidates for at least one CVD prevention activity. Although national organizations have published a variety of disease prevention recommendations, widespread implementation of and adherence to preventative programs remain problematic. Consequently, a large proportion of the population is not receiving or participating in prevention strategies from which they may benefit. The full potential of reducing the nation's CVD burden cannot be achieved unless interventions are implemented on a larger scale, with reduced costs, and with increased initial and continued participation.

With approximately 130 million Americans currently employed, workplaces provide ideal environments for implementation of sizable, cost-effective CVD prevention programs. However, successful wellness programming remains a laborious, resource intensive challenge for employers. In 2004, a National Worksite Health Promotion Survey disclosed that less than 7% of U.S. employers offered worksite wellness programs. Furthermore, an estimated 25-30% of companies' annual medical costs are spent on employees with CVD risk factors.

In the proposed study, a worksite wellness program that includes health assessments, personal health reports, and pedometer-based tracking of physical activity will be offered to university employees. Participants will not be randomized to an intervention or control group. Rather, program components will be available to all enrolled participants, and each individual may choose whether to wear a pedometer, track their step counts, attend wellness sessions, and/or complete the health assessments. There is no prescribed intervention. Wellness sessions include educational information on lifestyle behaviors to promote cardiometabolic health.