Effectiveness of a Novel Workplace-based Exercise Intervention: a Pilot Study

NCT03941145 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 18/19 036
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 23
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Sufficient physical activity and a good cardiorespiratory fitness level (CRF) are central in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction. However, many people remain inactive, partly because current exercise recommendations fail to address important barriers to exercise. A novel exercise protocol has previously been developed called 'reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training' (REHIT), which can remove several common perceived barriers to exercise. REHIT 1) improves CRF and other key CVD risk factors, 2) is genuinely time-efficient (total time-commitment of just 2x10 min per week), 3) is well-tolerated, manageable, and not associated with negative affective responses, and 4) can be done in the workplace, in work-clothes and without a need to shower afterwards. To date, this intervention has only been investigated in a lab-setting. Therefore, in the present randomised controlled trial, the 'real-world' effectiveness of REHIT in improving maximal aerobic capacity (V̇O2max; a key risk factors of CVD) will be investigated in a workplace setting. Participants' attitudes and psychological responses to REHIT will be assessed to evaluate the likelihood of successful implementation. In 2 study centres, a total of up to n=50 physically inactive male and female office workers will be recruited to perform 6 weeks of unsupervised, computer-guided, office-based REHIT (n=25) or act as a control (n=25).

Conditions

Health Behavior

Keywords

exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in maximal aerobic capacity

  Aerobic capacity: a key risk factor of noncommunicable disease

  Change from baseline to 3 days after the 6-week intervention

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Change in motivation for exercise

  Change from baseline to 3 days after the 6-week intervention

• Change in health status

  Change from baseline to 3 days after the 6-week intervention

• Change in perceived stress

  Change from baseline to 3 days after the 6-week intervention

• Intervention acceptability

  3 days after the 6-week intervention

Study Arms (2)

Exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants allocated to the intervention group will be asked to perform 2 exercise sessions per week for 6 weeks. Each session will involve 10 min of low-intensity cycling (25 W) interspersed with two 20-s 'all-out' cycle sprints against a resistance equivalent to 5% of body mass. The exercise intervention will be delivered on a commercially available cycle ergometer with software developed by CAR.O.L.

Behavioral: Reduced-Exertion High-Intensity Interval Training (REHIT)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

The effects of the intervention will be compared to a no-intervention control group recruited from the same workplace settings.

Interventions

Reduced-Exertion High-Intensity Interval Training (REHIT) BEHAVIORAL

REHIT is a type of Sprint Interval Training (SIT) that has been shown to be efficacious at improving maximal aerobic capacity using a minimal volume of exercise.

Exercise

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Employee at participating workplace

You may not qualify if:

• Aged \< 18 years or \> 60 years
• History of type 2 diabetes
• Insulin therapy
• Use of β-blockers
• Use of inhaled steroids (e.g. for asthma)
• Any cardiovascular condition with the exception of well-controlled uncomplicated hypertension (systolic \>140 mm Hg and/or \>90 mm Hg after at least 5 minutes of seated rest), which is treated with no more than two drugs (either an ACE, ARB, calcium channel blocker, or diuretic)
• Cerebrovascular disease including previous stroke or aneurysm
• History of exercise-induced asthma
• History of type 1 diabetes mellitus or a history of ketoacidosis
• History of other specific types of diabetes (e.g., genetic syndromes, secondary pancreatic diabetes, diabetes due to endocrinopathies, drug or chemical-induced, and post organ transplant)
• History of respiratory disease including pulmonary hypertension or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• History of musculoskeletal or neurological disorders
• Active inflammatory bowel disease
• History of renal disease
• Other metabolic diseases, including hyper/ hypo-parathyroidism, hyper/hypo-thyroidism, and Cushing's disease.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Stirling: lead
• Swansea University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Stirling Council

Stirling, FK49LA, United Kingdom

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Metcalfe RS, Atef H, Mackintosh K, McNarry M, Ryde G, Hill DM, Vollaard NBJ. Time-efficient and computer-guided sprint interval exercise training for improving health in the workplace: a randomised mixed-methods feasibility study in office-based employees. BMC Public Health. 2020 Mar 12;20(1):313. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-8444-z.

  PMID: 32164631 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Health Behavior; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: RCT

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 26, 2019
• First Posted: May 7, 2019
• Study Start: May 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: September 13, 2019
• Study Completion: November 13, 2019
• Last Updated: March 24, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)