An Intervention to Reduce Sitting Time at Work: Effects on Metabolic Health and Inactivity

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to determine whether varying the frequency and length of activity breaks during the workday will differentially impact sedentary behavior and health outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to take short, frequent breaks (i.e., 1 minute every half hour) or longer, planned breaks (i.e., two 15-minute walks) from sitting during the workday. They will be instructed to follow the assigned protocols for an 8-week intervention and the effects of their participation on sedentary behavior and a variety of health outcomes will be assessed. The investigators anticipate participants in both intervention arms will demonstrate significant reductions in daily sitting time, bit do not have an a priori hypothesis regarding the relative effectiveness of each approach.

Detailed Description
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The purpose of this study is to determine whether varying the frequency and length of activity breaks during the workday will differentially impact sedentary behavior and health outcomes. Women aged 25-50 who work full-time in sedentary jobs and participate in less than 60 minutes of overall physical activity per week will be recruited. At the beginning of the study participants will visit the laboratory to complete baseline health assessments and meet with a research assistant to outline their plan for reducing sitting time at work. At this time they will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) Group A will be asked to take two 15-minute walks during each workday, or 2) Group B will be asked to stand up and move around for 1-2 minutes every half hour throughout the workday. The total duration of this program will be eight weeks. During this time participants will be asked to keep a brief daily log of their activity breaks during the workday. At the end of the 8-week program participants will return to the laboratory to repeat the health assessments. ASSESSMENTS: All participants will complete the following tests and procedures: Metabolic blood panel. Blood will be drawn from a quick finger stick to assess total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL, and fasting glucose. DEXA scan. Participants will lie down on a body scanner for about 10 minutes to assess body composition. Body measurements. A trained research assistant will measure height, weight, and waist circumference. Blood pressure. A trained research assistant will measure blood pressure using an automated blood pressure cuff. In addition, participants will complete the following assessments outside of the laboratory: Questionnaires: Participants will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires. This should take 15-20 minutes. Accelerometer: Participants will be asked to wear a motion sensor for a total of 21 days (three 7-day periods). This small apparatus is worn around the waist during the day. Participants will complete a log indicating when they were wearing the accelerometer each day. Food diary: Participants will be asked to record their food intake for a total of 9 days (three 3-day periods).

Official Title
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The Effects of Short, Frequent Breaks in Sitting Versus Longer, Planned Breaks in Sitting on Sedentary Behavior and Metabolic Health Among Inactive Females Working Sedentary Jobs

Conditions
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Sedentary Lifestyle

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Short breaks
* Behavioral: Long breaks


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Work at least 35 hours per week Spend at least 80% of working hours sitting (self-reported) Engage in less than 60 minutes per week of leisure-time exercise (self-reported) Not pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 3 months Not currently trying to change weight Speak English Able to attend assessments Willing to wear accelerometer No anticipated significant conflicts during 8-week intervention Exclusion Criteria: Male Working less than 35 hours per week Spend >25% of working hours standing or active Engage in more than 60 minutes per week of leisure-time exercise Pregnant Actively dieting or attempting to change weight

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 25 Years
Maximum Age: 50 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Short breaks<br>Participants instructed to stand/move for 1-2 minutes every half hour throughout the workday | Behavioral: Short breaks<br>* Following baseline testing, participants will attend a 30-minute individual orientation session, during which they will complete a planning worksheet with a research assistant. They will identify specific strategies they will use to accomplish the pre-specified goal (i.e., to take a 1-minute active break every 30 minutes during the workday). They will also identify potential barriers they will face and devise strategies for overcoming them. The intervention will officially start the Monday after the orientation session and will last for 8 weeks. Participants will receive a weekly email containing tips related to reducing sitting time at work. All participants will complete daily activity logs indicating the time and duration of all breaks from sitting across the 8-week intervention.<br>* Other names: Up4Health - short breaks;|
| Active Comparator: Long breaks<br>Participants instructed to take two 15-minute activity breaks during each workday | Behavioral: Long breaks<br>* Following baseline testing, participants will attend a 30-minute individual orientation session, during which they will complete a planning worksheet with a research assistant. They will identify specific strategies they will use to accomplish the pre-specified goal (i.e., to take two 15-minute activity breaks during each workday). They will also identify potential barriers they will face and devise strategies for overcoming them. The intervention will officially start the Monday after the orientation session and will last for 8 weeks. Participants will receive a weekly email containing tips related to reducing sitting time at work. All participants will complete daily activity logs indicating the time and duration of all breaks from sitting across the 8-week intervention.<br>* Other names: Up4Health - long breaks;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in sedentary behavior during the workday | Measured by GT3X accelerometer | Baseline - week 8 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in weight |  | Baseline - week 9 | 
| Change in blood pressure |  | Baseline - week 9 | 
| Change in resting heart rate |  | Baseline - week 9 | 
| Change in total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol |  | Baseline - week 9 | 
| Change in triglycerides |  | Baseline - week 9 | 
| Change in fasting blood glucose |  | Baseline - week 9 | 
| Change in waist circumference |  | Baseline - week 9 | 
| Change in body composition | DEXA or bioelectrical impedance | Baseline - week 9 | 
| Change in energy, tiredness, tension, and calmness | Activation-Deactivation Checklist | Baseline - week 8 | 
| Change in fatigue severity, interference, and duration | Fatigue Symptom Inventory | Baseline - week 8 | 
| Change in mood | Positive and Negative Affect Scale | Baseline - week 8 | 
| Change in overall self-reported physical activity | International Physical Activity Questionnaire | Baseline - week 8 | 
| Change in overall objectively measured physical activity | Measured by GT3X accelerometer | Baseline - week 8 | 
| Change in diet quantity | Measured by 3-day food diary | Baseline - week 8 | 
| Change in diet quality | Dietary Screener Questionnaire | Baseline - week 8 | 
| Adherence to assigned protocols | Measured by activity logs | up to 8 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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worksite, intervention, sitting