Prompting health professionals to be activity role models--motivating stair use at the 2001 ACSM scientific meeting.
BACKGROUND
This intervention promoted stair use among people attending the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) annual meeting.


METHODS
All attendees using the stairs or escalators in the main lobby were unobtrusively observed for 3 days and coded for activity choices to get to the second floor. During day 2, a prominent sign stating "Be a role model. Use the stairs!" encouraged pointof- choice decisions favoring stairs over the escalator. The sign was removed on day 3.


RESULTS
16,978 observations were made. Stair use increased from 22.0% on day 1 to 29.3% and 26.8% on days 2 and 3, respectively (P values < .001). Active choices (stair use or walk up escalator) increased from 28.3% on day 1 to 40.1% and 40.2% on subsequent days. Analyses were similar after adjustment for gender, estimated age category, and race.


CONCLUSIONS
Relatively few conference attendees were persuaded to model stair-use behavior. Health professionals should be encouraged to be "active living" role models.
Andersen
Ross E
RE
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Bauman
Adrian E
AE
Franckowiak
Shawn C
SC
Reilley
Sue M
SM
Marshall
Alison L
AL
D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004607:Elevators and Escalators; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006282:Health Personnel; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D016138:Walking