Abstract
BackgroundEffective interventions to influence workplace sitting are needed, as office-based workers demonstrate high levels of continued sitting, and sitting too much is associated with adverse health effects. Therefore, we developed a theory-driven, Web-based, interactive, computer-tailored intervention aimed at reducing and interrupting sitting at work.ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to investigate the effects of this intervention on objectively measured sitting time, standing time, and breaks from sitting, as well as self-reported context-specific sitting among Flemish employees in a field-based approach.MethodsEmployees (n=213) participated in a 3-group randomized controlled trial that assessed outcomes at baseline, 1-month follow-up, and 3-month follow-up through self-reports. A subsample (n=122) were willing to wear an activity monitor (activPAL) from Monday to Friday. The tailored group received an automated Web-based, computer-tailored intervention including personalized feedback and tips on how to reduce or interrupt workplace sitting. The generic group received an automated Web-based generic advice with tips. The control group was a wait-list control condition, initially receiving no intervention. Intervention effects were tested with repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance.ResultsThe tailored intervention was successful in decreasing self-reported total workday sitting (time × group: P<.001), sitting at work (time × group: P<.001), and leisure time sitting (time × group: P=.03), and in increasing objectively measured breaks at work (time × group: P=.07); this was not the case in the other conditions. The changes in self-reported total nonworkday sitting, sitting during transport, television viewing, and personal computer use, objectively measured total sitting time, and sitting and standing time at work did not differ between conditions.ConclusionsOur results point out the significance of computer tailoring for sedentary behavior and its potential use in public health promotion, as the effects of the tailored condition were superior to the generic and control conditions.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT02672215; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02672215 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6glPFBLWv)
Highlights
Adults spend the majority of their waking time in sedentary behaviors, that is, activities in a sitting or reclining posture characterized by a low energy expenditure [1]
The total sample (N=213) of employees completing the Web-based questionnaire consisted of 31.5% (67/213) men, 81.7% (174/213) with a high level of education, 91.5% (195/213) who were white collar workers, and 69.5% (148/213) with an employment duration of more than 5 years
There were no differences between participants who were willing and those who were not willing to wear the activity monitor across all variables
Summary
Adults spend the majority of their waking time in sedentary behaviors, that is, activities in a sitting or reclining posture characterized by a low energy expenditure [1]. Increasing evidence suggests that too much sitting is related to adverse health outcomes, independent of physical activity levels [5,6]. Both the total amount of sitting and the pattern of sitting (ie, prolonged uninterrupted periods) are associated with several adverse health effects in adults, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, some cancers, and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality [5,6,7,8]. The tailored group received an automated Web-based, computer-tailored intervention including personalized feedback and tips on how to reduce or interrupt workplace sitting. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02672215; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02672215 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6glPFBLWv)
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