A review of effectiveness of workplace health promotion interventions on physical activity and what works in motivating and changing employees health behaviour

Physical activity levels among the UK population are low (DH, 2000). The benefits of a physically active lifestyle in health promotion and disease prevention are well-documented (DH, 2004b; Pate et al., 1995) but the more sedentary nature of work, alongside increasing use of the car when compared with methods of active transport suggests a decline in physical activity. The UK workforce tends to spend more hours at work than most other EU countries and have less paid leave/annum (The Work Foundation, 2005). Although, the workplace setting affords great potential as a setting for promoting physical activity, the UK has been slow to respond to these opportunities