Content uploaded by Jacqueline L Mair
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Jacqueline L Mair on Nov 17, 2015
Content may be subject to copyright.
BACKGROUND
Recent evidence suggests that sedentary be-
haviour (SB) is linked to multiple poor health
outcomes, independent of physical activity
level (Thorp et al., 2011).
Offi ce workers spend up to 75% of the working
day sedentary, often in prolonged periods ex-
tending 30 minutes (Evans et al., 2012, Neu-
haus et al., 2014).
Using sit-stand workstations has been shown
to be acceptable and feasible by offi ce work-
ers (Chau et al, 2014) and contributes to re-
ductions in sitting in the short term (Alkhaja
et al., 2012, Neuhaus et al., 2014).
PURPOSE
The long term eff ectiveness and sustainability of
sit-stand workstation use as well as any poten-
tial ‘novelty eff ect’ in new users has not been de-
scribed.
In addition there is little information on the pat-
terns of desk use and interruptions to sitting
which may be more important for health out-
comes (Chinapaw et al., 2014).
To date sit-stand
workstations use
has been deter-
mined by self-re-
port diary, and
their eff ectiveness
has been attribut-
ed to the objective-
ly measured SB of
the desk user.
Self-report of desk use is subject to social desir-
ability and recall bias and objective measurement
of SB among desk users assumes that reductions
in sitting are a result of sit-stand workstation use.
Objective monitoring of the desk height/move-
ment married to objectively measured SB in us-
ers may overcome this methodological problem.
The fi ndings of the study will provide use-
ful information on the pattern and sustain-
ability of sit-stand desk use and inform in-
terventions to reduce SB in the workplace.
Jacqueline L Mair1, Chris Nugent2, Ian Cleland2, Charlotte Schmitz3, and Marie H Murphy1
1 Centre for Physical Activity and Health Research, Ulster University, Northern Ireland, UK, 2 Computer Science Research Institute, Ulster University, Northern Ireland, UK, 3 Ergotron Inc., Minnesota, USA
Patterns and sustainability of sit-stand workstation use in a typical
office workplace – Protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
References
Alkhajah AT, Reeves MM, Eakin EG, Winkler EAH, Owen N, Healy GN. 2012. Sit–Stand Workstations A Pilot
Intervention to Reduce Offi ce Sitting Time. Am J Prev Med; 43(3):298-303. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ame-
pre.2012.05.027
Chau JY, Daley M, Srinivasan A, Dunn S, Bauman AE, van der Ploeg HP. 2014. Desk-based workers’ perspectives on
using sit-stand workstations: a qualitative analysis of the Stand@Work study. BMC Public Health;14:752.
Chinapaw MJM, de Niet M, Verloigne M, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Brug J, Altenburg TM. 2014. From sedentary time to
sedentary patterns: Accelerometer data reduction decisions in youth. PLoS ONE; 9(11): e111205. doi:10.1371/journal.
pone.0111205
Evans RE, Fawole HO, Sheriff SA, Dall PM, Grant PM and Ryan CG. 2012. Point-of-choice prompts to reduce sitting
time at work: a randomized trial.
Thorp AA, Owen N, Neuhaus M, Dunstan DW. 2011. Sedentary behaviours and subsequent health outcomes in adults.
A systematic review of longitudinal studies, 1996-2011. Am J Prev Med;41(2):207–215
Ergotron WorkFit sit-stand desks and stands allow manual adjustment
from sitting to standing height throughout the work day.
Data from accelerometer attached to the standing desk. The activities of lowering/raising
and typing on the desk, along with non-use can clearly be seen.
Java Sun Spot
activPALTM
METHODS
measurement tools
• Sedentary behaviour will be objectively measured using an accelerometer (activPAL, PAL Tech-
nologies Ltd, Glasgow, UK) worn for 7 days pre-intervention and at 2 weeks, 2, 5, 8 and 12 months
following desk installation.
• Desk height/movement/usage will be monitored objectively throughout the 12-month period
using the Java Sun Spot wireless sensor network which will be attached to the top shelf of the desk.
• Participants will complete self-report workstation use be will beblined to the objective measure
of its use.
intervention
The proposed RCT will examine the eff ects of providing a sit-stand workstation on SB in offi ce
workers over a 12-month period.
cohort
40 offi ce-based university staff aged
18-65 years will be randomized into
• control group (SB in usual
environment) or
• intervention group (SB and
sit-stand workstation).
Mair, Jacqueline e15027336@uucde.ulst.ac.uk; Nugent, Christopher cd.nugent@ulster.ac.uk; Cleland, Ian i.cleland@ulster.ac.uk; Murphy, Marie mh.murphy@ulster.ac.uk; Schmitz, Charlotte cschmitz@ergotron.com
UP TO
Percentage of working day that
office workers spend sedentary