Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY
Volume 31, Issue 6, Pages 950-955Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803497
Keywords
exercise promotion; health behavior; public health; physical activity; stairs; gender
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The purpose of this study was to determine whether posters placed on the platforms of two train stations in Copenhagen, promoting use of the stairs, would encourage people to use the stairs rather than the adjacent escalator. An additional purpose was to see if the effect of the intervention was maintained for a week after the poster was removed. Measurements: The number of people using stairs and escalators at Copenhagen Central Station and Osterport Train Station in Copenhagen was recorded before and during posters promoting stair use were placed on the platforms, and a week after the posters were removed. Two years after the posters were removed, data were collected for 1 week at Osterport Train Station (long-term post-intervention). Results: At Copenhagen Central Station, the overall stair use increased from 12% before the intervention to 16% (P < 0.0001) during the intervention, giving an odds ratio (OR) of 1.5 for stair use. At Osterport Train Station in Copenhagen, the overall stair use increased from 23 to 31% during the intervention (P < 0.0001), and dropped to 27% (P < 0.0001) after the intervention (during the intervention, OR=1.5 (P < 0.0001); after the intervention, OR 1.2 (P < 0.0001)). At the long-term postintervention recording, the overall stair use was 25%, which was not significantly different from the stair use found before the intervention. Discussion: Posters promoting stair use placed on the platforms of train stations can result in increased stair use, during and after 1 week of intervention, and thereby seem useful only when up and immediately following intervention in changing health-promoting behavior among Danish men and women. These results agree well with results from other countries.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available