Stand Out in Class: Reducing Sitting Time in the Classroom Environment
Condition: Sedentary Behavior; Child Behavior; Physical Activity; Obesity; Health Behavior
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The primary aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of incorporating manually
      adjustable sit-stand desks in the classroom environment of 9-10 year olds in reducing
      sedentary behaviour at school during a full school year. Secondary aims include evaluating
      the effects of the intervention on health and learning outcomes as well as comparing the
      impact of full classroom allocation of sit-stand desks to a classroom of partial sit-stand
      desk allocation.
    

Detailed description: 
      Rates of overweight and obesity and related chronic disease risk factors in children have
      increased worldwide over the past decades. Whilst it is widely acknowledged that regular
      physical activity provides health benefits, prolonged sedentary behaviour (sitting or
      reclining) has been shown to adversely affect children's health, independent of the child's
      physical activity levels. Adverse associations between sedentary behaviour and risk factors
      for disease, such as obesity, blood pressure, and high levels of cholesterol have been
      observed in children. In addition, prolonged sedentary behaviour has been linked to reduced
      cognitive development and academic achievement in children.

      Changes in our environment and lifestyle have resulted in children not only becoming less
      physically active, but also spending unnecessarily long periods of time sitting, particularly
      in the classroom. Sedentary behaviour is the most prevalent behaviour exhibited by children
      in developed countries, comprising >65% of waking hours. The impact of unhealthy lifestyle
      behaviours, such as prolonged sitting, on children's health and development is concerning
      given the importance of childhood for the establishment of lifestyle behaviours that can
      track into adulthood.

      The long term vision of our research is to re-address the balance between sedentary and
      non-sedentary (i.e. standing and all forms of physical activity) behaviours by changing
      environments which are traditionally associated with prolonged periods of sedentary
      behaviour, such as the school classroom. This study will make environmental changes to the
      classrooms of Year 5 students (aged 9-10 years) from one school in Bradford, in the UK,
      through the provision of manually adjustable sit-stand workstations. The primary aim is to
      compare the effects of this novel strategy using both full desk allocation (one per child) in
      one classroom and partial desk allocation (six standing desks in a class along with standard
      desks) in a second classroom on children's classroom sitting and standing time. Comparisons
      will also be made between the two intervention classrooms in the one school to children's
      sitting and standing behaviour measured in a control school (following usual practice).
      Secondary aims include evaluating the effects of the two interventions on time spent in
      different intensities of physical activity, health, learning and cognitive function outcomes.

      This study expands on the success of the nine week pilot study, conducted in 2014, by
      implementing the intervention over a full academic year, having an additional intervention
      group, including an extra school for a control group, and including more key outcome measures
      (blood glucose, self-reported comfort) to better understand the impact of sit-stand desks. If
      successful this study will support the concept of sit-stand desks as an effective long term
      school based intervention for benefits in health and learning in children across all
      demographics
    

Intervention name(s): Ergotron LearnFit Sit-Stand desk
Intervention type(s): Device
Intervention description(s): An adjustable sit-stand desk design for children
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Controlled trial (2 intervention groups)
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention