Exercise in the workplace: examining the receptivity of practical and time-efficient stair-climbing "exercise snacks".

Abstract

In the workplace, people are often sedentary for prolonged time and do not regularly engage in physical activity-two factors independently linked to premature morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the receptivity of incorporating practical stair-climbing "exercise snacks" (Snacks; three isolated bouts of ascending 53-60 stairs performed sporadically throughout the day) into workplace settings compared to more traditional high-intensity interval training (HIIT; performed as three bouts of 53-60 stairs within a structured HIIT workout) and to explore if these exercise strategies could influence sedentary and physical activity behaviour. Fourteen participants (12 women; Mage=38.9±10.2 years) completed two supervised exercise trials (Snacks and HIIT) followed by 1 week participating in either form of exercise in their workplace. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), affective valence, enjoyment, and self-efficacy were measured at the supervised exercise sessions. During the follow-up period, sedentary behaviour and physical activity were measured with an accelerometer. Affective valence was more positive (p=0.03; η2 p=0.21) and there was a lower rise in RPE (p=0.01; η2 p=0.29) during Snacks than HIIT. Post-exercise enjoyment of, and self-efficacy towards, Snacks and HIIT were high and similar (ps>0.05). After the supervised trials, 10/14 of the participants preferred Snacks and 4/14 preferred HIIT (p=0.18). On days when participants chose to perform either exercise modality, the average number of sit-to-stands in a 24 h period was increased (48.3±8.7 to 52.8±7.8; p=0.03; Hedge's g=0.73) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity tended to increase (21.9±18.2 to 38.1±22.1 min; p=0.06; Hedge's g=0.60) compared to days when they chose not to exercise. Stair-climbing exercise snacks may be an attractive approach to implement in the workplace setting and has potential to positively impact sedentary behaviour and physical activity metrics.