Evaluation of a worksite-based small group team challenge to increase physical activity

PURPOSE:: To investigate whether participants in a small group team challenge had greater completion rates in an institution-wide step-challenge than other participants. DESIGN:: A quasi-experimental, posttest-only design with a comparison group was used to evaluate group differences in completion rates. SETTING:: A large university system provided the opportunity to participate in a physical activity challenge. PARTICIPANTS:: The study was limited to employees who participated in the physical activity challenge. INTERVENTION:: Two institutions offered participants the chance to compete as smaller groups of teams within their institution. These team-challenge participants (N = 414) were compared to participants from the same institutions that did not sign up for a team and tracked their steps individually (N = 1454). MEASURES:: Participants who reported 50 000 steps per week for 5 of the 6 weeks were classified as challenge completers. We also evaluated total step count and controlled for several potential covariates including age, gender, and body mass index. ANALYSIS:: Logistic regression was used to model the dichotomous outcome of challenge completion. RESULTS:: Team-challenge participants were more likely to complete the physical activity challenge than other participants. Team-challenge participants had 1922 more steps per day than individual participants. However, at an institution level, overall completion rates were not higher at institutions that offered a team challenge