Walks4work: Investigating walking at lunchtime in the workplace

ISRCTN	ISRCTN05716448
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN05716448
Secondary identifying numbers	N/A

Submission date: 26/04/2012
Registration date: 22/05/2012
Last edited: 26/11/2015

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
The aim of the study was to assess the effect of walking in reducing the effects of workplace stress which is related to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). For example altered heart rate response to stress, high blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI). Further to this, the study aimed to assess whether the environment in which the lunchtime walk took place could impact the results of the study.

Who can participate?
Participants ranged in age from 18 to 65 years. Participants were required to be healthy, that is free from any cardiovascular or neurological disease and not receiving medication that could affect either system. Participants also needed to be able to take part in fairly intense exercise.

What does the study involve?
This study consisted of an 8-week study period. During this time participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups. The groups were two lunchtime walking group and one control group. The first walking group consisted of a 2km nature route. The other walking group consisted of is a 2km route that is predominantly a built environment. Participants allocated to these groups were required to walk their given route twice a week during two separate lunch breaks. The third group was a waiting-control group who were required to continue with their regular lunchtime activities. Those in the waiting control group will be given access to the walking routes at the end of the 8 week intervention period. Following this period participants were able to walk in either environment and as many times as they wished as long as it was during their lunch break. Walking habits were recorded by the participants and primary and secondary outcome measures were assessed again after 3 months. Collection of activity diaries finished in December 2011.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Expected improvements in health and well-being. There was a small risk of injury when walking around the prescribed walking routes however a full risk assessment was carried out prior to the start of the study and participants were advised on how to minimise these risks e.g. appropriate footwear and notifying a colleague when leaving for a walk.

Where is the study run from?
Centre for Sport and Exercise Science (CSES), University of Essex

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
April 2011 to December 2011.

Who is funding the study?
The Economic and Social Research Council and the British Heart Foundation

Who is the main contact?
Dr Valerie Gladwell
vglad@essex.ac.uk

Contact information

Dr Valerie Gladwell
Scientific

University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom

Email	vglad@essex.ac.uk

Study information

Study design	Randomised waiting-control group trial
Primary study design	Interventional
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)	Other
Study type	Quality of life
Participant information sheet	Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific title	Walks4work: Rationale and study design to investigate walking at lunchtime in the workplace setting
Study objectives	1. After 8 weeks the walking groups would show improved response and recovery of heart rate and vagal tone to acute stress as compared to the waiting control group 2. The walk in the nature environment would improve heart rate response and recovery to an acute stress as compared to the built environment condition
Ethics approval(s)	Cambridgeshire NHS Research Ethics Committee, 21/10/2010, ref: 10/H0305/66
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Modifying workplace stress
Intervention	Participants were assigned to a natural walking environment (n = 32) vs. built walking environment (n = 33) vs. waiting-control group (n = 29) for an 8 week period. Following this all participants, including the waiting control group, were given the option of walking either of the two routes when walking at lunchtime. This stage of the study lasted for 3 months following the 8-week intervention period.
Intervention type	Behavioural
Primary outcome measure	1. Heart rate responses to and recovery from a stressor 2. Changes in vagal activity over the stressor and in recovery measured using the high frequency component of heart rate variability (HRV) analysis
Secondary outcome measures	1. Levels of lunchtime physical activity 2. An objective biomarker of stress, cortisol 3. Subjective ratings of stress and mental health assessed using questionnaires, which were SF-8, Perceived stress scale, work engagement, job satisfaction, Rosenburg's self-esteem and the positive and negative affect scale 4. Changes in physical cardiovascular risk factors of blood pressure, body mass index, heart rate variability, waist circumference, and predicted aerobic fitness
Overall study start date	16/04/2011
Completion date	16/12/2011

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	18 Years
Sex	Both
Target number of participants	94
Key inclusion criteria	1. Aged between 18 - 65 years old 2. Healthy 3. Able to participate in fairly intense exercise
Key exclusion criteria	1. Participants outside of give age range 2. Those with cardiovascular and/or neurological conditions or taking medication which affect either of these systems 3. Anyone who cannot participate in fairly intense exercise
Date of first enrolment	16/04/2011
Date of final enrolment	16/12/2011

Locations

Countries of recruitment

England
United Kingdom

Study participating centre

University of Essex

Colchester
CO4 3SQ
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Economic and Social Research Council (UK)
Research council

Polaris House
North Star Avenue
Swindon
SN2 1UJ
United Kingdom

Website	http://www.esrc.ac.uk/

British Heart Foundation
Charity

Greater London House
180 Hampstead Road
London
NW1 7AW
United Kingdom

Economic and Social Research Council
Government

Website	http://www.esrc.ac.uk/
"ROR"	https://ror.org/03n0ht308

Funders

Funder type

Research council

Economic Social Research Council (UK) - Early career fellowship ref: RES-064-27-0019)

No information available

British Heart Foundation (UK) - Non-clinical PhD studentship ref: FS/10/32/28204
Private sector organisation / Trusts, charities, foundations (both public and private)

Alternative name(s): the_bhf, The British Heart Foundation, BHF
Location: United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination plan	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Protocol article	protocol	25/07/2012		Yes	No
Results article	results	01/07/2014		Yes	No