Abstract
BackgroundSedentary behaviour is an independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity, especially for type 2 diabetes. Since office work is related to long periods that are largely sedentary, it is of major importance to find ways for office workers to engage in light intensity physical activity (LPA). The Inphact Treadmill study aims to investigate the effects of installing treadmill workstations in offices compared to conventional workstations.Methods/DesignA two-arm, 13-month, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted. Healthy overweight and obese office workers (n = 80) with mainly sedentary tasks will be recruited from office workplaces in Umeå, Sweden. The intervention group will receive a health consultation and a treadmill desk, which they will use for at least one hour per day for 13 months. The control group will receive the same health consultation, but continue to work at their regular workstations. Physical activity and sedentary time during workdays and non-workdays as well as during working and non-working hours on workdays will be measured objectively using accelerometers (Actigraph and activPAL) at baseline and after 2, 6, 10, and 13 months of follow-up. Food intake will be recorded and metabolic and anthropometric variables, body composition, stress, pain, depression, anxiety, cognitive function, and functional magnetic resonance imaging will be measured at 3–5 time points during the study period. Interviews with participants from the intervention group will be performed at the end of the study.DiscussionThis will be the first long-term RCT on the effects of treadmill workstations on objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time as well as other body functions and structures/morphology during working and non-working hours among office workers. This will provide further insight on the effects of active workstations on our health and could fill in some of the knowledge gaps regarding how we can reduce sedentary time in office environments.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01997970, 2nd Nov 2013.
Highlights
Sedentary behaviour is an independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity, especially for type 2 diabetes
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended during non-exercise activities, i.e. the energy that we expend during light intensity physical activities (LPA)
The health risks associated with sedentary behaviour are independent of the amount of moderate-to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) [3], demonstrating the relevance of interventions that reduce sedentary time and increase light intensity physical activity (LPA), aside from interventions trying to increase the amount of MVPA
Summary
Sedentary behaviour is an independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity, especially for type 2 diabetes. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended during non-exercise activities, i.e. the energy that we expend during light intensity physical activities (LPA). These activities are often performed at low intensities during our everyday lives and include walking, climbing stairs, fidgeting, or cleaning the house. This is separate from the energy expended during moderate-to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) like aerobic or resistance exercises [4]. The health risks associated with sedentary behaviour are independent of the amount of MVPA [3], demonstrating the relevance of interventions that reduce sedentary time and increase LPA, aside from interventions trying to increase the amount of MVPA
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