Implementation of Standing Desks at School

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Since sedentary time is related to various health outcomes and is already highly prevalent in childhood and adolescence, effective strategies are needed to tackle this health problem. Children and adolescents spend the majority of the day in a classroom while sitting at a desk. Therefore, the classroom is an important setting for implementing specific strategies to reduce sedentary time. One of the strategies that gained more attention during the past years is replacing traditional desks and chairs with standing desks. This project evaluates the implementation of standing desks in primary and secondary schools via a clustered randomized controlled trial using an intervention and control condition. Effects on sedentary time during in class, sedentary activities during leisure time, breaks in sedentary time, and related determinants (secondary outcomes) are evaluated. Next to effect evaluation, it is also equally important to evaluate how teachers and pupils perceive this change in the classroom environment. Both groups need to be positive in order to obtain the adoption and sustainability. Therefore, focus groups with pupils and interviews with teachers are conducted, with a specific focus on the perceived barriers. Moreover, the process evaluation is conducted quantitatively as well by using questionnaires in pupils and teachers. The project results will lead to recommendations on how to broadly implement standing desks into primary and secondary schools.

Official Title
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Implementing Standing Desks in Primary and Secondary Schools to Reduce Sedentary Time: Effect and Process Evaluation.

Conditions
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Health Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Implementation of standing desks


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Healthy pupils of primary schools (5th grade) and secondary schools (10th grade)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 9 Years
Maximum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

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: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: One intervention and one control condition
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention group<br>Implementation of standing desks in the classroom | Behavioral: Implementation of standing desks<br>* Three standing desks will be introduced to the classroom<br>|
| No Intervention: Control group<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Decrease in children's sedentary time during school hours | In the questionnaire, following item was used to subjectively assess the outcome: 'On average how many hours do you spent sedentary in class?' Answer categories ranged from 'None' to 'More than 7 hours per day'. In addition, a subsample wore an ActivPAL inclinometer to objectively measure sedentary time. This thigh-worn device uses accelerometer-derived information about thigh position to calculate the outcome. | One schoolyear | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Possible decrease in TV time on week- and weekend days | In the questionnaire, children and adolescents were asked on average how many hours they spent in front of a television, separately for week- and weekend days. Answer categories ranged from 'Non' to 'More than 4 hours per day'. The items are derived from the reliable and valid ENERGY-questionnaire. | One schoolyear | 
| Possible decrease in computer time on week- and weekend days | In the questionnaire, children and adolescents were asked on average how many hours they spent in front of a computer, separately for week- and weekend days. Answer categories ranged from 'Non' to 'More than 4 hours per day'. The items are derived from the reliable and valid ENERGY-questionnaire. | One schoolyear | 
| Increase in the number of breaks in sedentary activities | In the questionnaire, children and adolescents were asked on average, how many times they interrupt their TV time, computer time and sitting during school hours. Answer categories ranged from '0' to '4 times or more per hour'. The items were derived from the ENERGY-questionnaire. | One schoolyear | 
| Improvement of determinants related to breaking up sedentary activities | In the questionnaire, questions were added on attitude, self-efficacy, preferences and habits related to breaking up sedentary activities, with answer categories ranging from 'Totally agree' to 'Totally disagree'. The items were derived from the ENERGY-questionnaire | One schoolyear | 
| Improvement in school well-being | Three school-related variables (i.e. relationship with classmates, involvement in organising school activities, and relationship with teachers) were assessed in the questionnaire using items from the Flemish Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children questionnaire. | One schoolyear | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Sedentary behavior