Repetitive Daily Point of Choice Prompts and Occupational Sit-Stand Transfers, Concentration and Neuromuscular Performance in Office Workers: An RCT

Lars Donath, Oliver Faude, Yannick Schefer, Ralf Roth and Lukas Zahner
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Lars Donath: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Oliver Faude: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Yannick Schefer: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Ralf Roth: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland
Lukas Zahner: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, 4052 Basel, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: Objective: Prolonged office sitting time adversely affects neuromuscular and cardiovascular health parameters. As a consequence, the present study investigated the effects of prompting the use of height-adjustable working desk (HAWD) on occupational sitting and standing time, neuromuscular outcomes and concentration in office workers. Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) with parallel group design was conducted. Thirty-eight office workers were supplied with HAWDs and randomly assigned (Strata: physical activity (PA), BMI, gender, workload) to a prompt (INT) or non-prompt (CON) group. INT received three daily screen-based prompts within 12 weeks. CON was only instructed once concerning the benefits of using HAWDs prior to the start of the study. Sitting and standing times were objectively assessed as primary outcomes for one entire working week using the ActiGraph wGT3X-BT at baseline (pre), after 6 (mid) and 12 weeks (post). Concentration (d2-test), postural sway during upright stance (under single, dual and triple task) and lower limb strength endurance (heel-rise) were collected as secondary outcomes. Results: With large but not statistically significant within group effects from pre to post, INT increased weekly standing time at work by 9% ( p = 0.22, d = 0.8) representing an increase from 7.2 h (4.8) to 9.7 (6.6) h ( p = 0.07). Concentration and neuromuscular performance did not change from pre to post testing (0.23 < p < 0.95; 0.001 < ? p ² < 0.05). Conclusion: Low-frequent and low cost screen-based point of choice prompts (3 per day within 12 weeks) already result in notable increases of occupational standing time of approx. daily 30 min. These stimuli, however, did not relevantly affect neuromuscular outcomes.

Keywords: standing time; sitting; sedentary behavior; point of choice prompts; intervention; balance; strength; worksite; stand desk; height-adjustable (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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