Healthy lifestyles should be encouraged in the workplace through the occupational health teams of the companies. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the adherence to a lifestyle intervention carried out in university employees during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on health-related quality of life (HrQoL). A randomized controlled trial following the CONSORT guidelines was performed, consisting of three supervised interventions lasting for 18 weeks: an educational intervention on healthy habits, a nutritional intervention, and a telematic aerobic and strength exercise intervention. Lifestyle and HrQoL were analyzed six months post-intervention to assess adherence. Twenty-three middle-aged participants completed the study. The intervention group significantly improved their lifestyle according to the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II questionnaire, especially in the categories of Health Responsibility, Physical Activity, and Nutrition, with a large effect size. Sitting time was reduced by 2.5 h per day, with a moderate effect size. Regarding HrQoL, the intervention group showed a clinically significant improvement in the Physical Component Summary. Despite the lockdown and the mobility restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this intervention performed on university employees achieved adherence to a healthier lifestyle and improved their HrQoL, which is of great clinical relevance.

The World Health Organization’s global action plan on workers’ health establishes that occupational health services should carry out lifestyle interventions within the workplace, to prevent the development of non-communicable diseases. The objective of the study was to compare adherence to a healthy lifestyle six months after completion of a multi-component intervention with remotely supervised physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic versus a multi-component intervention with in-person supervised physical exercise before the COVID-19 pandemic in university employees with unhealthy habits and predisposed to change. A prospective cohort study following the “Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology” (STROBE) guidelines was conducted, with two arms. Each multi-component intervention lasted for 18 weeks, and consisted of education on healthy habits, Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet)-based workshops, and a physical exercise program. Twenty-one middle-aged sedentary university employees with poor adherence to the MedDiet completed the study. Six months after completion of the intervention, both groups increased physical activity levels, adherence to the MedDiet, eating habits, health-promoting lifestyle, health responsibility, and health-related quality of life. There were no differences between groups in any of the variables analyzed. Therefore, remotely supervised physical exercise could be adequate to achieve long-term adherence to a healthy lifestyle in the same way as conventional face-to-face intervention, at least in a population willing to change.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyse and compare the initial health situation before starting the lifestyle programme in 4 editions of the programme. Theoretical framework: HaSEN is an annual intervention programme for the generation of healthy habits on eating behaviour (psychonutrition) and active lifestyle (physical exercise) in university workers in the contemplative phase of motivation to change. Methods: A total of 74 workers participated between the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions from a Spanish university (24-59 years; M = 42.3; SD = 8.5) 19 men (26%) and 55 women (74%). Anthropometric, biological, lifestyle and psychological variables were analysed. Results and Discussion: Anthropometric, biological, lifestyle and psychological variables were analysed. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the 2021 edition workers at the start of the intervention was found to be higher than in 2019 and achievement motivation higher than in 2020, results that could be related to the special situation derived from the Covid-19 pandemic. Implications of the research: This shows the importance of knowing the baseline health status of workers in behaviours such as those observed in the last edition (2022) in terms of worsening adherence to the Mediterranean diet. This aspect highlights the need to apply interventions such as the HaSEN programme for the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle in terms of nutrition and physical exercise behaviour in the population under study. Originality/value: This study contributes to the scientific literature on public health in the population of university workers. It provides retrospective and prospective information on baseline health status and motivation to change habits to maintain a lifestyle in a working population subjected to high levels of work demands and the implications that this may have on the overall health status of this population.