The effectiveness of an aerobic exercise intervention on worksite health-related physical fitness--a case in a high-tech company.

BACKGROUND The major objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise intervention with goals of improving health-related physical fitness in one high-tech company in Taiwan. METHODS This study was conducted as a quasi-experimental design. Among the 54 subjects enrolled in the study, 26 subjects of the volunteers agreed to participate in an aerobic exercise program. The control group was comprised of a similar sample of 28 subjects working at the same company. Subjects in the exercise group participated in a 12-week aerobic exercise program, while subjects in the control group did not participate. RESULTS The results of analysis of variance with repeated measures of health-related physical fitness showed that the subjects in the exercise group had significantly more improvements in abdominal muscle strength and endurance than the subjects in the control group. CONCLUSIONS This study indicated that one 12-week aerobic exercise program was effective in improving the abdominal muscle strength and endurance of employees of a high-tech company.