A pilot study using egocentric network analysis to assess holistic health benefits among a sample of university employees involved in a worksite fitness program.
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BACKGROUND: Working adults in the United States often do not engage in enough exercise to experience health benefits. With workplaces becoming increasingly sedentary, more emphasis is placed on providing exercise opportunities at work. Evidence suggests participating in exercise during the workday and socially connecting with others while exercising, can lead to positive health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to examine whether mental and social health factors were related to increased exercise among employees participating in a worksite group exercise program. METHODS: An egocentric network analysis was conducted on a sample of university employees (n=57). RESULTS: Regression analyses (Adjusted R2=0.501, F=4.686, p=0.001) suggest that depression (=-0.548, p=0.041), stress (=0.530, p=0.016), nominating alters who exercise similarly (=0.326, t=2.111, p=0.045), average exercise scores across egonetworks (=-0.330, t=-2.135, p=0.043), and nominating other group exercise members (=0.579, t=3.721, p=0.001) were related to physical activity scores. CONCLUSION: These findings provide empirical support for using group exercise environments as a mechanism for increasing exercise among employees. Specifically, fostering social connections between employees involved in the program can lead to greater physical activity scores. Future research should confirm these results in larger samples, along with determining more causal relationships with longitudinal and experimental designs.
