Abstract
BackgroundExcessive time spent in sedentary behaviours (sitting or lying with low energy expenditure) is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Desk-based office workers typically accumulate high amounts of daily sitting time, often in prolonged unbroken bouts. The Stand Up Victoria study aims to determine whether a 3-month multi-component intervention in the office setting reduces workplace sitting, particularly prolonged, unbroken sitting time, and results in improvements in cardio-metabolic biomarkers and work-related outcomes, compared to usual practice.Methods/DesignA two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT), with worksites as the unit of randomization, will be conducted in 16 worksites located in Victoria, Australia. Work units from one organisation (Department of Human Services, Australian Government) will be allocated to either the multi-component intervention (organisational, environmental [height-adjustable workstations], and individual behavioural strategies) or to a usual practice control group. The recruitment target is 160 participants (office-based workers aged 18–65 years and working at least 0.6 full time equivalent) per arm. At each assessment (0- [baseline], 3- [post intervention], and 12-months [follow-up]), objective measurement via the activPAL3 activity monitor will be used to assess workplace: sitting time (primary outcome); prolonged sitting time (sitting time accrued in bouts of ≥30 minutes); standing time; sit-to-stand transitions; and, moving time. Additional outcomes assessed will include: non-workplace activity; cardio-metabolic biomarkers and health indicators (including fasting glucose, lipids and insulin; anthropometric measures; blood pressure; and, musculoskeletal symptoms); and, work-related outcomes (presenteeism, absenteeism, productivity, work performance). Incremental cost-effectiveness and identification of both workplace and individual-level mediators and moderators of change will also be evaluated.DiscussionStand Up Victoria will be the first cluster-RCT to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component intervention aimed at reducing prolonged workplace sitting in office workers. Strengths include the objective measurement of activity and assessment of the intervention on markers of cardio-metabolic health. Health- and work-related benefits, as well as the cost-effectiveness of the intervention, will help to inform future occupational practice.Trial registrationACTRN1211000742976
Highlights
IntroductionExcessive time spent in sedentary behaviours (sitting or lying with low energy expenditure) is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers
Excessive time spent in sedentary behaviours is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers
Stand Up Victoria will be the first cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component intervention aimed at reducing prolonged workplace sitting in office workers
Summary
Excessive time spent in sedentary behaviours (sitting or lying with low energy expenditure) is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Observational studies have demonstrated that total time spent sedentary, and the manner in which sedentary time is accumulated, is detrimentally associated with several health outcomes including elevated markers of cardio-metabolic risk, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, breast and colon cancer and premature mortality [5,6] These adverse health relationships, coupled with the high proportion of the waking day spent in this behaviour [7], have prompted calls for interventions to target a reduction in sitting time [8,9], with a particular focus on high-risk settings such as the office workplace [10,11,12]. This was recently highlighted in an analysis of the trends in occupational physical activity during the past 50 years in the USA, showing that there has been a progressive shift away from occupations that require moderate-intensity physical activity to occupations that largely require sitting [16]
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