A randomized control trial of new tailored walking campaigns in an employee sample

Abstract

Public health groups use mass media communications to address the problem of sedentary behaviour. However, these campaigns are poorly evaluated and lack tailoring. Campaigns and questionnaires were developed based on existing theoretical, cross-sectional, and qualitative data regarding how to promote walking with people who are not regularly active. Subjects were volunteer white-collar employees (n = 181) randomly allocated by quota to the campaigns, or control, for one week. One-hundred-thirty-eight subjects (76.2%) completed pre- and postcampaign questionnaires. This study successfully (1) developed four new tailored campaigns to promote walking according to a formalized process that health promoters can adapt and refine, (2) developed a complimentary measure of outcomes, and (3) compared the new campaigns with the English Health Education Authority (HEA) "Active for Life" campaign (control).