Abstract
BackgroundThere is a dearth of literature on how different domains of sitting time relate to other health behaviours. Therefore, this study aimed to explore these associations in a sample of office workers.Methods7170 Northern Irish Civil Servants completed an online survey which included information on workday and non-workday sitting time in five domains (travel, work, TV, computer-use, leisure-time), physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. An unhealthy behaviour score was calculated by summing the number of health behaviours which did not meet the current guidelines. Multinomial regressions examined associations between unhealthy behaviour score and each domain of sitting time.Results≥7 hours sitting at work and ≥2 hours TV viewing on a workday both more than doubled the odds of partaking in ≥3 unhealthy behaviours [Odds ratio, OR = 2.03, 95% CI, (1.59–2.61); OR = 2.19 (1.71–2.80)] and ≥3 hours of TV viewing on a non-workday nearly tripled the odds [OR = 2.96 (2.32–3.77)].ConclusionsHigh sitting time at work and TV viewing on a workday and non-workday are associated with increased odds of partaking in multiple unhealthy behaviours. Interventions need to focus on these domains and public health policy should consider sitting time as an important health behaviour.
Highlights
Sedentary behaviour defined as, ‘any waking behaviour characterized by an energy expenditure ≤ 1.5 metabolic equivalents (METs), while in a sitting, reclining or lying posture’,5 is associated with numerous chronic diseases and increasingly prevalent.[6,7]
The most common combination in o ce workers partaking in 2 unhealthy behaviours was physical inactivity and fruit and vegetable underconsumption (76.4%)
Those exceeding alcohol guidelines reported sitting for an additional 40 minutes/day whilst watching TV compared with those who met the guidelines; these individuals reported sitting for longer at work, during leisure-time and during non-workday computer-use. Those who met the alcohol guidelines sat for longer while travelling on a workday compared with those who did not. Those who met the guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake reported sitting less at work, while TV viewing and during non-workday computer-use compared with those who did not meet the guidelines
Summary
The negative health consequences of cigarette smoking, fruit and vegetable underconsumption, physical inactivity and alcohol overconsumption are well established.[1,2,3,4] sedentary behaviour defined as, ‘any waking behaviour characterized by an energy expenditure ≤ 1.5 metabolic equivalents (METs), while in a sitting, reclining or lying posture’,5 is associated with numerous chronic diseases and increasingly prevalent.[6,7] A large European study found that on average, adults spent 530 minutes/day sedentary.[8]. Methods 7170 Northern Irish Civil Servants completed an online survey which included information on workday and non-workday sitting time in ve domains (travel, work, TV, computer-use, leisure-time), physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. Multinomial regressions examined associations between unhealthy behaviour score and each domain of sitting time. Results ≥7 hours sitting at work and ≥2 hours TV viewing on a workday both more than doubled the odds of partaking in ≥3 unhealthy behaviours [Odds ratio, OR = 2.03, 95% CI, (1.59–2.61); OR = 2.19 (1.71–2.80)] and ≥3 hours of TV viewing on a non-workday nearly tripled the odds [OR = 2.96 (2.32–3.77)]. Conclusions High sitting time at work and TV viewing on a workday and non-workday are associated with increased odds of partaking in multiple unhealthy behaviours. Interventions need to focus on these domains and public health policy should consider sitting time as an important health behaviour
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