The Vital@Work Study. The systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers' vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A major contributor of early exit from work is a decline in health with increasing age. As healthy lifestyle choices contribute to better health outcomes, an intervention aimed at an improved lifestyle is considered a potentially eff...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2009-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/408 |
| _version_ | 1828758467429531648 |
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| author | van der Beek Allard J Proper Karin I Strijk Jorien E van Mechelen Willem |
| author_facet | van der Beek Allard J Proper Karin I Strijk Jorien E van Mechelen Willem |
| author_sort | van der Beek Allard J |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A major contributor of early exit from work is a decline in health with increasing age. As healthy lifestyle choices contribute to better health outcomes, an intervention aimed at an improved lifestyle is considered a potentially effective tool to keep older workers healthy and vital, and thereby to prolong labour participation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol, a lifestyle intervention was developed based on information obtained from 1) literature, 2) a short lifestyle questionnaire aimed at indentifying the lifestyle behaviours among the target group, and 3) focusgroup (FG) interviews among 36 older workers (aged 45<sup>+ </sup>years) aimed at identifying: a) key determinants of lifestyle behaviour, b) a definition of vitality, and c) ideas about how vitality can be improved by lifestyle.</p> <p>The main lifestyle problems identified were: insufficient levels of physical activity and insufficient intake of fruit and vegetables. Using information from both literature and FG interviews, vitality consists of a mental and a physical component. The interviewees suggested to improve the mental component of vitality by means of relaxation exercises (e.g. yoga); physical vitality could be improved by aerobic endurance exercise and strength training.</p> <p>The lifestyle intervention (6 months) consists of three visits to a Personal Vitality Coach (PVC) combined with a Vitality Exercise Programme (VEP). The VEP consists of: 1) once a week a guided yoga group session aimed at relaxation exercises, 2) once a week a guided aerobic workout group session aimed at improving aerobic fitness and increasing muscle strength, and 3) older workers will be asked to perform once a week for at least 45 minutes vigorous physical activity without face-to-face instructions (e.g. fitness). Moreover, free fruit will be offered at the group sessions of the VEP. The lifestyle intervention will be evaluated in a RCT among older workers of two major academic hospitals in the Netherlands. At baseline, after 6 and 12 months, measurements (primary: lifestyle and vitality, and secondary: work-engagement and productivity) will take place.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The lifestyle programme is developed specifically tailored to the needs of the older workers and which is aimed at improving their vitality.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>NTR1240</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T00:42:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c802058d02e344a0a403c0b49f562dd6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T00:42:25Z |
| publishDate | 2009-11-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-c802058d02e344a0a403c0b49f562dd62022-12-22T01:26:53ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582009-11-019140810.1186/1471-2458-9-408The Vital@Work Study. The systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers' vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this interventionvan der Beek Allard JProper Karin IStrijk Jorien Evan Mechelen Willem<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A major contributor of early exit from work is a decline in health with increasing age. As healthy lifestyle choices contribute to better health outcomes, an intervention aimed at an improved lifestyle is considered a potentially effective tool to keep older workers healthy and vital, and thereby to prolong labour participation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol, a lifestyle intervention was developed based on information obtained from 1) literature, 2) a short lifestyle questionnaire aimed at indentifying the lifestyle behaviours among the target group, and 3) focusgroup (FG) interviews among 36 older workers (aged 45<sup>+ </sup>years) aimed at identifying: a) key determinants of lifestyle behaviour, b) a definition of vitality, and c) ideas about how vitality can be improved by lifestyle.</p> <p>The main lifestyle problems identified were: insufficient levels of physical activity and insufficient intake of fruit and vegetables. Using information from both literature and FG interviews, vitality consists of a mental and a physical component. The interviewees suggested to improve the mental component of vitality by means of relaxation exercises (e.g. yoga); physical vitality could be improved by aerobic endurance exercise and strength training.</p> <p>The lifestyle intervention (6 months) consists of three visits to a Personal Vitality Coach (PVC) combined with a Vitality Exercise Programme (VEP). The VEP consists of: 1) once a week a guided yoga group session aimed at relaxation exercises, 2) once a week a guided aerobic workout group session aimed at improving aerobic fitness and increasing muscle strength, and 3) older workers will be asked to perform once a week for at least 45 minutes vigorous physical activity without face-to-face instructions (e.g. fitness). Moreover, free fruit will be offered at the group sessions of the VEP. The lifestyle intervention will be evaluated in a RCT among older workers of two major academic hospitals in the Netherlands. At baseline, after 6 and 12 months, measurements (primary: lifestyle and vitality, and secondary: work-engagement and productivity) will take place.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The lifestyle programme is developed specifically tailored to the needs of the older workers and which is aimed at improving their vitality.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>NTR1240</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/408 |
| spellingShingle | van der Beek Allard J Proper Karin I Strijk Jorien E van Mechelen Willem The Vital@Work Study. The systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers' vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention BMC Public Health |
| title | The Vital@Work Study. The systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers' vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention |
| title_full | The Vital@Work Study. The systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers' vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention |
| title_fullStr | The Vital@Work Study. The systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers' vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Vital@Work Study. The systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers' vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention |
| title_short | The Vital@Work Study. The systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers' vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention |
| title_sort | vital work study the systematic development of a lifestyle intervention to improve older workers vitality and the design of a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/408 |
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