Adult Office Workers
Conditions
Keywords
occupation, work, sitting, sedentary behaviour, office worker, adult, education, point-of-choice prompt
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to determine whether an on-screen prompt put on the work computer every 30 minutes is effective in getting office workers to reduce prolonged periods of sitting at work.
Detailed description
Prolonged bouts of uninterrupted time spent sitting is associated with indicators of poor health, independent of how physically active a person is. Many occupations are now sedentary, and are characterised by long periods spent sitting at a desk. Brief education on the benefits of standing regularly and breaking up prolonged sitting will be provided to participants, working at a Scottish University. One intervention group will additionally have software installed on their work computer which placed a prompt window in the centre of their screen for 1 minute every 30 minutes. The prompt will remind participants to stand-up and take a break, and the window cannot be removed or minimised.
Interventions
DEVICEMyRestBreak 1.0
Prompting software (MyRestBreak 1.0 copyright Vikram Sharma) will be installed on the work computer. A prompt with the message stand up, take a break is placed on the screen of the work computer for 1 minutes every 30 minutes, from the time the computer is switched on in the morning. The prompt is contained in a window 11x9 cm in the centre of the screen. The prompt cannot be removed or minimised, but work can continue in any windows visible around the prompt. The prompt is on the computer for 5 days.
BEHAVIORALeducation talk and leaflet
A short educational talk, read from a script, regarding the health risks of prolonged sitting, stating that standing every 30 minutes could be beneficial. A short information leaflet stating with the same message is also provided.
Sponsors
Glasgow Caledonian University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Employee of Glasgow Caledonian University * Aged between 18 and 65 years * Self-reported desk-based occupation * Informed written consent provided * Ability to stand unassisted
Exclusion criteria
* Any musculoskeletal condition which limits ability to stand regularly
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| duration of prolonged sitting | 5 days | total time spent sitting in continuous uninterrupted prolonged (\>30minutes) sitting events at work |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| number of sitting events | 5 days | total number of uninterrupted sitting events (of any duration) during work |
| step count | 5 days | total number of steps taken while at work |
| break duration | 5 days | the duration of breaks between sitting events |
| total sitting duration | 5 days | total time spent sitting while at work |
| standing time | 5 days | total time spent standing while at work |
| number of prolonged sitting events | 5 days | the number of continuous uninterrupted prolonged (\>30minutes) sitting events during work |
| walking time | 5 days | total time spent walking at work |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed