Social Support as a Component of a Worksite Program to Promote Physical Activity and Exercise

This study investigated the specific effect of the intervention technique "Planning Exercise-Related Social Support" (PESS) in the context of a worksite program promoting exercise ("MoVo-work"). Employees (N=69) were cluster-randomized and assigned to two groups: the intervention group (IG) received MoVo-work with the module PESS, the control group (CG) received MoVo-work without PESS. Physical exercise and social support were measured before (T1) and after (T2) the intervention as well as after 6 weeks (T3) and 6 months (T4). Comparing T1 and T3, the percentage of physically active participants in the IG increased by 24 % (p<.05), whereas in the CG the increase was only 9 %. Comparing Ti and T4, the IG showed an increase of physically active participants of 8 %, whereas the percentage of active subjects in the CG even decreased by 3 %. No group differences were found concerning perceived social support. The results suggest that worksite intervention programs promoting physical activity profit substantially by additionally considering social support.