Effects of a Remote Physical Activity Improvement Program on Male Office Workers with Metabolic Syndrome in Their 30s and 40s with Sedentary Behavior: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Purpose: Sedentary office workers lack physical activity and have a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study attempted to develop a remote physical activity improvement program for sedentary office workers and verify its effectiveness by applying it to male workers in their 30s and 40s with MetS. Methods: This study used a randomized control group pretest–posttest design, and the study sample was 75 male workers recruited from an information and technology company. They were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 38) or control (n = 37) group. The remote physical activity improvement program was constructed based on the self-regulation theory emphasizing autonomy, and was conducted through non-face-to-face Zoom once a week for a total of 12 weeks. Health education, exercise training, small group meetings, and individual counseling were provided, and tailored text messages were sent to participants every day to encourage them to reflect on their lifestyle and practice exercise. Results: The remote physical activity program significantly increased basic psychological needs (Z = −7.55, p <.001), intrinsic motivation (Z = −6.94, p <.001), health promotion behavior, (Z = −6.63, p <.001), and physical and physiological indicators (p <.05) in the intervention group compared to those in the control group. Conclusions: In managing MetS among office workers, it was found that remote education using the Zoom platform was effective, even during the coronavirus pandemic. As a strategy for health education in the workplace, remote education content needs to be developed and applied.