Abstract
Background: University students are prone to sedentary behavior (SB) which is associated with multiple negative health outcomes. Sit-stand desks may allow for a reduction of SB through standing bouts. To promote standing in university students, decisional cues might be a low-cost approach that can easily be implemented.Purpose: To investigate the effects of decisional cues on students' SB, standing, and active behavior.Method: Over 3 weeks, students were observed in a building on a German university campus, which provides sit-stand-desks in study areas, using an adapted version of the SOPLAY protocol. Baseline data was collected in the first week (T1), before posters and table plaques containing decisional cues were set up in the study areas. Effects were measured in the following 2 weeks (T2 and T3).Results: 2,809 (33% female) students were observed. Sitting decreased from 92.9% [SD = 14.9] to 84.5% [SD = 22.1] from T1 to T3 [F(1, 141) = 15.6; p < 0.01; η2 = 0.10]. Standing increased from 5.6% [SD = 13.5] to 10.9% [SD = 14.4] [F(1, 141) = 9.0; p < 0.01; η2 = 0.06] and being active from 1.5% [SD = 6.9] to 4.5% [SD = 14.8] from T1 to T3 [F(1, 141) = 4.2; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.03). Main effect analyses revealed more students standing in the afternoon compared to morning and lunchtime [F(2, 140) = 3.2; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.04).Discussion: Decisional cues could decrease students' SB and promote standing or being active as alternatives. Future research should use a more rigorous study design. The content of the decisional cues should be explored more and expanded to other health promotion areas on campus.
Highlights
Sedentary behavior (SB) is referred to as waking behavior in a sitting, lying, or reclined posture with an energy expenditure of ≤1.5 Metabolic Equivalents (METs) [1]
The definitions for the coding are based on the definitions of the Sedentary Behavior Research Network [35]: [1] Sedentary: Any waking behavior with
The primary aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that decisional cues such as posters and table plaques decrease SB in university students and increase standing rates
Summary
Sedentary behavior (SB) is referred to as waking behavior in a sitting, lying, or reclined posture with an energy expenditure of ≤1.5 Metabolic Equivalents (METs) [1]. SB has been associated with several negative health outcomes, including obesity, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and total mortality along with problems in social behavior and academic achievements [2,3,4,5]. Behavioral, and academic performance might be due to the distraction of. Screen-based sedentary behaviors such as TV watching and playing computer games, leading to less time for interactions with peers and studying for school [5]. Studying is the most prevalent SB among students, followed by TV/video watching and computer time [7, 9]. University students are prone to sedentary behavior (SB) which is associated with multiple negative health outcomes. To promote standing in university students, decisional cues might be a low-cost approach that can be implemented.
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