A Five-Year Evaluation of the Bearfit Worksite Physical Activity Program Megan S Patterson 1* , Clint A Patterson 2 , Shana M Walsh 3 , John A Bernhart 4 1 Department of Wellness, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA 2 Department of Student Activities, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA 3 School of Education, Peru State College, Peru, NE, USA 4 Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA * Corresponding author: Megan S Patterson, Department of Wellness, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA, Tel: (254) 710-1726; Fax: 254-710-1766; E-mail: Meg_Patterson@baylor.edu Rec date: Oct 28, 2017, Acc date: Nov 15, 2017, Pub date: Nov 27, 2017 Copyright: © 2017 Patterson MS, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Background: Regular participation in physical activity is associated with many health benefits including reduced risk of chronic diseases, premature mortality, and improved mental health. However, many American adults do not engage in enough activity to achieve health benefits. Employers recognize the value of physical activity participation among employees as a means to reduce healthcare costs and increase employee productivity. Objective: The purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate a four-month worksite wellness program offered to university employees and their spouses over five years that was not originally intended for research purposes. A secondary aim was to add a description of a worksite wellness program to the body of literature that could be replicated by other universities and across other occupational settings. Methods: Participants enrolled in the BearFIT program received access to exercise facilities, group exercise classes, nutrition counseling, and invitations to special activity events. Weight, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, resting heart rate, body fat percentage, and flexibility were measured pre- and post-program. Results: 802 participants enrolled in the study; 387 of these completed the pre-test only and were removed from analyses. The final sample included 415 participants (79.3% female; mean age of 46.6 [SD=11.86; range 23-70]). Paired samples t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements in weight, BMI, waist circumference, body fat percentage, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and flexibility in our sample. Resting heart rate decreased on average across participants, but not significantly. Conclusions: Results indicate the BearFIT program is a cost-effective means of promoting health in an occupational setting. Intervention planners should incorporate applicable methodology from the BearFIT program to future worksite wellness programs, and strengthen evaluations with more accurate measures of program participation and the conduction of cost-benefit analyses. Additional suggestions include emphasizing beginner activities tailored towards overweight and obese participants and seeking strategies to increase male participation. Keywords: Exercise; Physical activity; Worksite wellness; Health promotion; Intervention; Health behavior Background Te relationship between health and regular physical activity is well established [1-5]. Benefts of physical activity include weight management, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, better self- esteem, improved mental health and mood, and increased longevity [6-8]. Alternatively, the least active are at the greatest risk for chronic lifestyle diseases, including type II diabetes, obesity, loss of function, and all-cause mortality [9]. Given this, encouraging physical activity participation across all populations is a major public health priority. Te authors of the Physical Activity Guidelines [10] recommend adults engage in a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes. Despite this, many American adults do not meet the physical activity recommendations. In fact, data from the National Health Interview Survey revealed less than half of all adults (43.5%) engaged in the minimum amount of physical activity suggested by the guidelines. Historically, occupation has been a source of physical activity for many Americans [11]. However, as communication technology and labor-saving devices have become increasingly common, jobs have correspondingly become more sedentary. Specifcally, an analysis of energy expenditure by occupation revealed less than 20% of all American jobs require at least moderate-intensity physical activity; decreasing from 50% in the 1960s [12]. In another recent study, researchers measuring step counts in ofce workers found almost two- thirds (65%) of employee’s time at work was spent sitting [13]. Recent research highlights the dangers of sedentary behavior (e.g., increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and some cancers) [14-17] and specifcally that sitting for more than 6 hours per day negatively impacts one’s health [18-22]. Te average American adult works for 7.4 hours per day, or the equivalent of one- O c c u p a ti o n a l M e d ic i n e & H e a l t h A f f a i r s ISSN: 2329-6879 Occupational Medicine & Health Affairs Patterson et al., Occup Med Health Aff 2017, 5:3 DOI: 10.4172/2329-6879.1000268 Research article Open Access Occup Med Health Af, an open access journal ISSN:2329-6879 Volume 5 • Issue 3 • 1000268