Nicholas D GilsonThe School of Human Movement Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia.

National Health Priority Areas (x8)

1 http://www.aihw.gov.au/nhpa/index.cfm

The green prescription!

Lifestyle change can really work!

Walking guidelines• Accumulating at least 10,000 daily

steps remains the minimal public health goal

• 3000-4000 of these steps should be achieved through bouts of brisk walking (3-4mph), sustained for 10 minutes or more 2

• Small step increments have been found to lower risk for chronic disease in low active adults 3

2 Tudor-Locke et el. Med Sci Sports and Exerc 2008, 40: S537-543. 3 Tully et al. JECH 2007, 61: 778-783..

The activity-risk relationship

What things stop you being physically active?

Sedentary Workplaces

• Office-based workers often spend prolonged periods of the workday spent sitting at desks 4

• High volumes of sitting have been cited as an independent risk factor for conditions such as type II diabetes and obesity 5

4Gilson et al . Int Journal of Workplace Health Management 2009, 1: 152-161.5 Hamilton et al. Diabetes 2007, 56: 2655-2667.

Can we change this culture?• We spent the large part of our week

at work (we are a captive audience)• Our workplace is a practical and

effective setting through which walking (and less sitting) can be encouraged

Pedometer-based, workplace walking initiativeTailored 10 week programAssessment of where you are (baseline)Asks you to make small increments in your walking against set targetsInteractive, web-based support that targets barriers to change

Practical ideas for sitting less and moving more at work• Park it• Active emails• Onwards and upwards• Take a stand• Stand-walk-talk• Break time walks• Lunch time walking groups

Does it work?

0

500

-500

1000

-1000

Ste

p co

unts

/wor

kday

Control

Intervention

Gain of around 15-20 minutes of physical activity each workday

6 Gilson et al (2007) Preventive Medicine, 44, 167-169.

W@W

Problemsolving

Focus

Calmness

De-stress

Me time

Energy

Worklinks

Mind andbody

7 Gilson et al (2008) Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 15, 172-178.

If you would like to take part simply send an email;

walkatwork@uq.edu.au