The Effect of Educational Intervention Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior on the Physical Activity of Office Employees

Background: Inactivity has a high contribution to premature deaths and non-communicable diseases. Objectives: The study aimed to determine the effect of the educational intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on physical activity among administrative staff in Birjand. Methods: In this field trial, 69 employees of 4 offices in Birjand who were qualified to participate in the study were randomly divided into intervention (2 offices) and control (2 offices) groups. The intervention group participated in eight training sessions based on the theory of planned behavior. The required data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire at three different times (before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and three months after the intervention). Then the data was analyzed using SPSS 19, independent t-tests, repeated analysis of variance, and chi-square. A significance level of 0.05 was considered. Results: According to the results of the study, implementing the training program based on the theory of planned behavior three months after the study significantly increased the performance of a desirable physical activity in the employees of the intervention group (P = 0.005), 38.9 percent VS 9.1. This change was accompanied by a significant increase in the constructs of the theory of planned behavior (awareness, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention) in physical activity immediately or three months after the intervention. There was a significant increase in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusions: The implementation of an educational program based on the theory of planned behavior by increasing awareness, attitude, mental norm, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention can have a positive effect on increasing the amount of physical activity among employees, which can be used in training other health behaviors.