A new study reveals that just 15 minutes of physical activity a day, combined with a touch of friendly competition, can significantly boost your health and well-being.
Researchers from the University of South Australia found that a gamified workplace wellness program, known as the “15 Minute Challenge,” led to remarkable improvements in physical activity levels among employees.
The study involved 11,575 participants from 73 companies across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
The results were impressive: 95% of participants met or exceeded recommended physical activity levels during the six-week challenge.
On average, participants increased their daily physical activity by 12 minutes, adding up to 85 extra minutes of exercise each week.
The median daily exercise duration for participants was 45 minutes, well above the program’s 15-minute goal.
Participants also reported noticeable improvements in their fitness (14%), energy levels (12%), overall health (8%), sleep quality (8%), and mood (7.1%).
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults aged 18-64 engage in at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, each week.
However, many people fall short of these guidelines. In Australia, for example, 37% of adults and a staggering 83% of teenagers do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity.
Dr. Ben Singh, the lead researcher from UniSA, believes the 15 Minute Challenge offers an effective way to promote health and well-being in the workplace.
“Regular physical activity provides significant physical and mental health benefits,” Dr. Singh says. “It helps prevent and manage chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, and it also reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety.”
Given that many adults spend most of their waking hours at work, the workplace is an ideal setting for promoting physical activity.
The study showed that even a small commitment—just 15 minutes of exercise a day—can make a big difference in people’s health. Interestingly, most participants ended up doing more than the minimum requirement, using the 15-minute goal as a starting point to build the habit of regular exercise.
Co-researcher Professor Carol Maher highlights the role of gamification and social interaction in the program’s success.
The 15 Minute Challenge app encourages friendly competition, team collaboration, and accountability, which motivates participants to stay engaged and committed. Achievements are celebrated, making the experience enjoyable and rewarding.
Addressing inactivity in the workplace is a shared responsibility. Employers who introduce fun, effective, and cost-efficient wellness programs like the 15 Minute Challenge can create a win-win situation.
Physically active employees are happier, healthier, more productive, and less stressed. They are also less likely to get sick. Scalable and sustainable initiatives like this should be a priority for every employer looking to support their employees’ health and well-being.
If you care about brain health ,please read studies about Vitamin B9 deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and cranberries could help boost memory.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about heartburn drugs that could increase risk of dementia, and results showing this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
The research was published in the journal Healthcare.
