Acceptance of KOSPEN Plus Active Living program for workers in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: KOSPEN Plus (KP) is a workplace intervention to decrease the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and associated risk factors among workers. Active Living, a program component, emphasizes fitness and lifestyle improvements. The purpose of this study is to investigate the acceptance of the KOSPEN Plus Active Living program among government and private agencies in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2020 in the agencies already implementing the KP program. Data was collected from members of the KP coordinating committee using a self-administered questionnaire in electronic form. The Active Living scope consisted of three sections namely sociodemographic, Active Living activities and Active Living facilities. Different in Active Living activities before and after the program were evaluated using the chi-Square test. Results: A total of 362 agencies have participated in this study. Prior to the program, the most common activity undertaken by agencies was having scheduled fitness activities (18.2%), followed by promoting stair usage (17.7%) and carrying out fitness activities (9.1%). Following the program’s implementation, these activities significantly increased to 46.1% (P<0.01), 33.7% (P<0.01), and 27.3% (P<0.01), respectively. Facility enhancements included an increase in walking trails from 23.2% to 28.7% (P<0.01) and fitness facilities from 21.5% to 26.5% (P<0.01). Conclusion: The study revealed a moderate increase in Active Living activities and facilities before and after the program. Continued promotion and strategic improvements are essential to mitigate NCDs and foster a healthy workplace culture.