Methods
All participants, including the supervisors, performed a physical fitness test (Åstrand test) [16] and answered a self-administrated questionnaire twice; one in the beginning of the study (BASE) and the other 12 months later (FOLLOW UP). The questionnaire contained questions about community policies and practices, working conditions, physical- and psychosocial strain, physical exercise habits, smoking, alcohol intake, diet and different health questions [17]. Sickness absence was delivered from registers at the municipality for three years (start of the intervention year, end of the year, and in addition one year later when also the control group had had their education).