A nationwide initiative to improve the health of the British workforce has seen activity levels of UK workers rise by 72% and surpass NHS guidelines by 137%.
During 2013, thousands of UK employees from companies across different sectors took part in iGlobalWellness's Stay Active Challenge, in which workers grouped into teams of five and competed to increase their activity levels.
According to findings recorded using activity monitors, total calorie burn from activity for women came to just 8% and 7% for men, with NHS guidelines recommending that 20% of all calories should be burnt through activity.
Yet following the end of the challenge, participants raised their activity levels by 72%, spending 356 minutes in medium and high intensity activity per week. This also took employees' from falling 52% below NHS guidelines to surpassing them by 137%.
Workers who were overweight at the start of the challenge increased their activity levels by 12% more than employees of a healthy weight, while older employees boosted their activity levels 25% more than their younger colleagues as well as tending to spend more time in activity, but at a lower intensity level.
iGlobalWellness chief executive Russell Tomlin: "We're incredibly proud of what participants in the challenges have achieved this year, but we've got a long way to go to transform the baseline health and wellbeing of the UK workforce, which has always been our aim."
