Effect of Australia's Walk to Work Day campaign on adults' active commuting and physical activity behavior

Abstract

Purpose: To determine whether Australia's Walk to Work Day media campaign resulted in behavioral change among targeted groups.

Methods: Pre- and postcampaign telephone surveys of a cohort of adults aged 18 to 65 years (n = 1100, 55% response rate) were randomly sampled from Australian major metropolitan areas. Tests for dependent samples were applied (McNemar chi2 or paired t-test).

Results: Among participants who did not usually actively commute to work was a significant decrease in "car only" use and an increase in walking combined with public transport. Among those who were employed was a significant increase in total time walking (+ 16 min/wk; t [780] = 2.04, p < .05) and in other moderate physical activity (+120 min/wk; t [1087] = 4.76, p < .005), resulting in a significant decrease in the proportion who were "inactive" (chi2 (1) = 6.1, p <.05).

Conclusion: Although nonexperimental, the Walk to Work Day initiative elicited shortterm changes in targeted behaviors among target groups. Reinforcement by integrating worksite health promotion strategies may be required for sustained effects.