Aims: The purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the effects of health-promoting educational interventions among employees in a municipality in Sweden.
Methods: A randomized controlled educational intervention study was performed with 340 employees. Supervisors and workplace champions took part in two separate educational programmes with focus on health promotion. Intervention groups were teams of supervisors, teams of workplace champions and a mixed group (supervisors and workplace champions). The control group did not take part in any of the activities. Evaluations with physical fitness tests and a self-administrated questionnaire were performed twice. Focus group discussions were held.
Results: All groups raised their physical fitness level from baseline to follow-up. Females in the supervisor group had increased their mean maximal oxygen uptake from 32.0 mlO(2)/kg*min to 34.9 mlO(2)/kg*min which was more than the others. Supervisors had reached increased knowledge within the area 'organizational factors' and behavioural changes had been obtained within the area 'life-style'. Workplace champions working together with their supervisors had an easier and more motivated situation than workplace champions working by themselves.
Conclusions: Coaching supervisors as well as the mixed group seemed to improve the intervention of health promotion most and should be continued.