Promoting Stair Climbing in a Worksite and Public Setting: Are Footprints Enough?

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of footprints on stair climbing in different settings. Design: Interrupted time-series design. Setting: A company (stair/elevator choice) and a mall (stair/escalator choice). Participants: Employees (n = 5676) and visitors of the mall (n = 12 623). Intervention: An intervention comprising 3 consecutive phases was implemented—(1) footprints leading to the stairs were stuck on the floor, (2) a health message referring to the footprints was introduced, and (3) passersby were congratulated for their increased stair use. Measures: Stair climbing was observed before (ie, baseline), during, and 6 to 13 weeks after (ie, follow-up) the intervention. Analysis: Proportions of stair climbers were compared using χ2 analyses. Results: The footprints resulted in a closely significant increase in stair climbing in the company (from 27.7% at baseline to 31.2% in phase 1). However, they did not produce any effect in the mall. Introducing a health message yielded an additional 12.4% increase in stair climbing in the company and a significant 11.4% increase in the mall (22.3% in phase 2). Congratulating people did not further increase stair climbing. At follow-up, the proportions of stair climbers dropped but still exceeded baseline. Conclusion: Footprints tend to increase stair climbing in a worksite setting with a stair/escalator choice but not in a public setting with a stair/elevator choice. Adding a meaningful message seems essential to obtain stronger and longer term effects.