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Schmidt KG, Lerche AF, Christensen MR, Rasmussen CL, Straker L, Mathiassen SE, Holtermann A. Effectiveness of a Goldilocks Work intervention in childcare workers - A cluster-randomized controlled trial. Scand J Work Environ Health 2024; 50:197-207. [PMID: 38436676 PMCID: PMC11057501 DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.4145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Poor cardiorespiratory fitness and health is common among childcare workers. We designed the `Goldilocks-games` according to the Goldilocks Work principle to provide high-intensity physical activity for childcare workers. We investigated the effectiveness of this Goldilocks Work intervention in increasing occupational high-intensity physical activity and improving work-related health. METHODS In a two-arm cluster randomized trial, 16 childcare institutions with 142 workers were randomly allocated to either an 8-week Goldilocks Work intervention or a control group. The primary outcome was occupational time in high-intensity physical activity. Secondary outcomes were occupational time in active physical behaviors, heart rate during sleep, pain, physical exhaustion, energy at work, work productivity, and need for recovery. RESULTS The intervention was successfully delivered and received. Both groups had a low amount of occupational high-intensity physical activity at baseline, and the intervention group reported playing the games 3.1 [standard deviation (SD) 1.5] times/week for a duration of 112.2 (SD 175.0) min/week. However, the intervention did not increase high-intensity physical activity or the secondary outcomes, except for energy at work, measured on a scale from 0-10, increasing 0.65 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.08-1.21], and need for recovery, measured on a scale from 1-5, decreasing -0.32 (95% CI, -0.54- -0.09). CONCLUSION The intervention was successfully delivered and received, but did not increase high-intensity physical activity. The intervention group increased their energy at work and decreased their need for recovery, but not the other health-related outcomes. Further research on how to design and implement health-promoting work environment interventions in childcare is needed.
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Hao L, Fan Y, Zhang X, Rong X, Sun Y, Liu K. Functional physical training improves fitness and cognitive development in 4~5 years old children. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1266216. [PMID: 38034291 PMCID: PMC10684932 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1266216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Development of physical and cognitive function is very critical in 4~5 years children. It has been addressed in this research if the 18 weeks of specific functional training with or without cognitive training can be effective on improving fitness and cognitive development in 4~5 years preschool children. Methods A total of 126 preschool children in the 4~5 age range were selected as participants and randomly assigned to one of four groups: the control group (C), the functional physical training group (P), the cognitive training group (CT), and the functional physical training combined with cognitive training group (PCT). Results The results revealed significant pre/post differences in body height and weight among all four groups of children. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in physical fitness between the C group and the CT group after the intervention. However, the children in the P group and the PCT group showed significant improvements in three indicators including standing long jump, continuous jump, and 10-meter shuttle running. Additionally, the children in P group, CT group, and the PCT group demonstrated significant improvement in simple reaction time, attention, and spatial memory. No significant cognitive improvement was found in C group. Conclusion Functional physical training with or without cognitive intervention can promote both physical fitness and cognitive development in children aged 4~5 years. Cognitive training alone can significantly improve cognitive function but not physical. Therefore, functional physical training can be used alone to improve the physical and cognitive abilities for aged 4~5 years old children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Hao
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongzhao Fan
- Department of Physical Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan, China
| | - Xiaojuan Zhang
- Graduate School, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjiang Rong
- Graduate School, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing, China
| | - Youping Sun
- College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kun Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Brain Peace Science Foundation, New Haven, CT, United States
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Chappel SE, Naweed A, Chapman J, Vandelanotte C, Holtermann A, Straker L. Can occupational health professionals successfully apply the Goldilocks Work Paradigm in a simulated work redesign? ERGONOMICS 2023; 66:153-166. [PMID: 35443875 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2022.2067357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess occupational health professionals' application of the Goldilocks Work Paradigm in redesigning jobs for healthier physical behaviours while maintaining productivity. During a group simulation exercise, participants (n = 16) created job descriptions for four different occupation cases (factory worker, office worker, teacher, train driver) and then redesigned the jobs using the Paradigm. Substantial changes in the time spent in sitting (9-30%), standing (8-42%), walking (6-14%), and high-intensity (0-24%) physical behaviours were achieved, which if implemented would likely result in enhanced health for workers. Overall, occupational health professionals were able to successfully redesign fictitious jobs aligned with the Goldilocks Work Paradigm. The simulation task used in this study may be useful to train professionals and assist workplaces to understand and implement the Goldilocks Work Paradigm into practice.Practitioner summary: This study assessed whether occupational health professionals could be trained in the Goldilocks Work Paradigm through a job redesign simulation task. Participants were able to redesign jobs to achieve a healthier 'just right' balance of physical behaviours. Simulations may help workplaces understand and implement a Goldilocks Work approach into practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E Chappel
- Appleton Institute, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Anjum Naweed
- Appleton Institute, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Janine Chapman
- Appleton Institute, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Adelaide, Australia
- National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Corneel Vandelanotte
- Physical Activity Research Group, Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andreas Holtermann
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Leon Straker
- School of Allied Health and enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
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Naweed A, Chapman J, Vandelanotte C, Chappel SE, Holtermann A, Straker L. 'Just Right' job design: A conceptual framework for sustainable work in rail driving using the Goldilocks Work Paradigm. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2022; 105:103806. [PMID: 35772288 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Excessive physical demand at work has traditionally been connected with adverse health outcomes, but excessive sitting is now also being recognised as an occupational hazard and emerging work-related risk. Traditional preventive occupational health and ergonomics programs are useful but limited through reliance on individual behaviour change and time-diversion from productive work. A new 'Goldilocks Work Paradigm' aims to optimise health and productivity by using movements of productive tasks. Using rail driving as a specific case of a highly sedentary and inflexible working environment, we construct a conceptual framework for designing better jobs, arguing that a theoretical amalgamation of the new Goldilocks Work Paradigm with System Thinking, Participatory Ergonomics, and a Risk Management Framework, is needed, for establishing a unified, strategic approach-a 'just right' job design model. We extend this by outlining a practical process of designing better jobs with tools that can be used to achieve it.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janine Chapman
- Central Queensland University, Australia; Flinders University, Australia
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Does Childcare Work Promote Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Health? A Cross-Sectional Study of Danish Childcare Workers Based on Accelerometry and Heart Rate Measurements. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182312496. [PMID: 34886220 PMCID: PMC8656773 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Childcare workers are reported to have poor cardiorespiratory fitness and health. The Goldilocks Work Principle argues that productive work should be designed with the right composition, intensity and alternations of physical behaviors so that workers get fit and healthy. The purpose of this study was to investigate: (1) composition, (2) intensity and (3) alternations of physical behaviors during work and leisure among childcare workers. Data were collected using accelerometers and heart rate monitors over five workdays among 51 childcare workers at five Danish childcare institutions. Workers mainly spent their work time sedentary (43.0%), spent little time (0.7%) at sufficiently high cardiometabolic intensity to increase cardiorespiratory fitness and often alternated between physical behaviors (67.0% occurred in bouts of <5 min). These findings indicate that the workers have a composition of behaviors at work dominated by sedentary time, little time with high cardiometabolic intensity, and frequent alternations between behaviors. During leisure, workers spent more time sedentary (59.4%), more time at high cardiometabolic intensity (3.4%) and less time occurred in bouts <5 min (38.7%). We see a potential for promoting cardiorespiratory fitness and health of childcare workers by redesigning the way they play with the children, so that work time with high cardiometabolic intensity is increased.
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Lerche AF, Vilhelmsen M, Schmidt KG, Kildedal R, Launbo N, Munch PK, Lidegaard M, Jacobsen SS, Rasmussen CL, Mathiassen SE, Straker L, Holtermann A. Can Childcare Work Be Designed to Promote High Intensity Physical Activity for Improved Fitness and Health? A Proof of Concept Study of the Goldilocks Principle. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17207419. [PMID: 33053791 PMCID: PMC7600739 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17207419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Childcare workers are reported to have high variation in physical activity during work hours, but also to sit for about half of the workday and have almost no high intensity physical activity (HIPA). No study has investigated if their work can be re-designed to introduce HIPA, thus promoting fitness and health according to the Goldilocks principle. This study investigated the feasibility of designing pedagogical games (‘Goldilocks-games’) intended to lead to more HIPA. Heart rate was measured in nineteen childcare workers during Goldilocks-games, and compared to measurements during a regular workday. Worker perceptions of feasibility, and researcher observations of contextual factors were also collected. The Goldilocks-games (33 min) elicited significantly more HIPA (18/33 min) compared to the most active period of equal length on a regular workday (0.5/33 min). Seventy-four-percent of the childcare workers reported that it was feasible to integrate the Goldilocks-games pedagogically, and seventy-two-percent could see themselves using them. Thus, we found it possible to re-design a work task in childcare according to the Goldilocks principle so that it leads to substantial time with HIPA. The sustainability of Goldilocks-games in childcare, and their effectiveness in improving fitness and health among childcare workers, needs to be tested in further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Fritz Lerche
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
- Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
- Correspondence:
| | - Maja Vilhelmsen
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
| | - Kathrine Greby Schmidt
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
| | - Rasmus Kildedal
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
| | - Natja Launbo
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
| | - Pernille Kold Munch
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
| | - Mark Lidegaard
- Novo Nordisk Health & Safety, Novo Nordisk A/S, 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark;
| | - Sandra Schade Jacobsen
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
| | - Charlotte Lund Rasmussen
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
- Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 1165 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Svend Erik Mathiassen
- Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, University of Gävle, 801 76 Gävle, Sweden;
| | - Leon Straker
- School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia;
| | - Andreas Holtermann
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (M.V.); (K.G.S.); (R.K.); (N.L.); (P.K.M.); (S.S.J.); (C.L.R.); (A.H.)
- Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, 1165 Copenhagen, Denmark
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