Abstract

The higher average age of employees by the advancement of compulsory retirement age, and their sedentary life style in automated environments, has become an important issue in enterprise, because of the increase of adult disease and decreased physical fitness level. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a ten-year corporate health and fitness program to design for the purpose of assisting employees to stay well, through the results of health care examinations. The health and fitness program consist of health care examinations (medical checkup, physical fitness test and seminar for health promotion) and going through a physical training program on an individual basis. With the increase of their average age, body weight and skin folds increased, but the prevalence of obesity (skin folds; triceps + subscapula nearly 35 mm) showed no significant change. However, their blood pressure increased. In blood test, fasting plasma glucose and HDL-cholesterol levels were elevated significantly, but total cholesterol and triglyceride levels showed significantly decrease through this period. Physical fitness evaluation was markedly improved. Furthermore, the absence rate due to sickness was low for this period despite the increase of their average age. The results suggest that long-term corporate health and fitness program is effective to improve employees physical fitness level and possibly to prevent the progression of adult disease. Verf.-Referat