A Systematic Review of Workplace Physical Activity Coaching.
A Gawlik, J Lüdemann, A Neuhausen and 3 others
PMID 36849840WHAT IT FOUND
Workplace physical activity coaching increased activity in all 17 included interventions, but the studies were too diverse to combine.
The most effective approaches combined face-to-face contact with digital tools and focused on goal setting, self-monitoring, and problem solving.
Key findings
01All 17 interventions analyzed in this review showed an increase in at least one physical activity outcome.
02Twelve of the 17 interventions reported significant improvements in at least one workplace physical activity outcome after the intervention.
03Due to the wide diversity of study designs and interventions, no overall meta-analytical effect sizes were calculated.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The included studies were too heterogeneous to combine into a meta-analysis, so no overall effect size is available. Nine of the 14 studies were randomized controlled trials, but five were rated as having a high risk of bias, and four had some concerns. Coaches and participants could not be blinded to the intervention, which may have influenced self-reported outcomes. Intervention descriptions were often inadequate, making it difficult to understand exactly what was delivered or to replicate the studies. The search was limited to English and German publications, which may have excluded relevant studies. There is a risk of publication bias, as negative or insignificant results are less likely to be published.
Declared interests
The review was funded by the Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln (DSHS). No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that physical activity coaching is universally effective or that any specific format is superior. The studies showed increases in activity, but many lacked control groups or had high risk of bias. The review did not find evidence that one specific behavior change technique works best, and the contribution of coaching versus environmental changes (like standing desks) cannot be separated.