Optimizing Sedentary Behavior Interventions to Affect Acute Physiological Changes

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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An emerging body of epidemiological evidence suggests that various forms of sedentary behavior, including TV viewing, occupational sitting, and total daily sitting, may be associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression and psychological well-being. Importantly, many of these associations were independent of participation in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. We propose a pilot study to assess the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of two interventions targeting sedentary behavior. Since it is currently unknown what component of sedentary behavior exposure presents the greatest risk to health, we propose separate interventions to reduce overall sedentary time and to promote breaks in sedentary time.

Detailed Description
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Primary aim: To determine the acceptability and feasibility of selected personal, social and environmental strategies to reduce overall sitting time and increase the number of times participants stand up in a day. Secondary aim: To assess whether existing and new measurement approaches can detect specific changes in sedentary behavior. Exploratory aim: To establish whether specified intervention strategies were efficacious in reducing sedentary behavior and whether intervention effects were specific to the targeted sedentary behavior construct (e.g. decreased overall sitting time or increased number of breaks in sitting).

Official Title
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Optimizing Sedentary Behavior Interventions to Affect Acute Physiological

Conditions
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Sedentary Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Sedentary behavior


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Males or females 50 -70 years of age Able to attend 4 measurement visits with study staff in 3 consecutive weeks Spend at least 8 hours per day sitting Willing and able to wear study device for 21 days Able to read and write in English Able to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Do not sit for at least 8 hours per day Unable to attend 4 visits Diagnosis of serious chronic condition that would limit the ability to stand

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 50 Years
Maximum Age: 70 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: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Reduction in sitting time<br>Those randomized to this condition focused on reducing their overall sitting time by two hours per day (a goal achieved in similar studies [17,18] that represented approximately a 25% reduction in daily sitting time). Participants were encouraged to reach this goal by standing in bouts of roughly 10 minutes per hour. The purpose of this arm was to investigate whether we could replicate improvements in sitting time achieved in other worksite studies in our cohort of older adults, which included both workers and non-workers. | Behavioral: Sedentary behavior<br>* Participants were randomized to either reduce their total sitting time or increase sit-to-stand transitions. Information was provided in person, through written materials and by emails and phone calls in both conditions. Both groups received written educational materials on the dangers of excessive sitting and reviewed a generic day to illustrate how many sitting opportunities individuals face each day. During each session, the health educator also discussed the benefits of sitting less or increasing sit-to-stand transitions (depending on study condition) and brainstormed potential barriers to implementing the new behavior as well as strategies to overcome these barriers.<br>|
| Experimental: Increase in sit-to-stand transitions<br>Those randomized to the sit-to-stand condition focused on increasing the number of sit-to-stand transitions they performed throughout the day with a goal of adding 30 additional transitions per day. Previous studies have not succeeded in increasing the number of sit-to-stand transitions in older adults, possibly because they focused on reducing overall sitting time, encouraged longer standing breaks and did not provide a specific goal for sit-to-stand transitions [26-28]. An increase in sit-to-stand transitions would not be expected with an increase standing intervention alone, as prolonged standing reduces the opportunity for sit-to-stand transitions. | Behavioral: Sedentary behavior<br>* Participants were randomized to either reduce their total sitting time or increase sit-to-stand transitions. Information was provided in person, through written materials and by emails and phone calls in both conditions. Both groups received written educational materials on the dangers of excessive sitting and reviewed a generic day to illustrate how many sitting opportunities individuals face each day. During each session, the health educator also discussed the benefits of sitting less or increasing sit-to-stand transitions (depending on study condition) and brainstormed potential barriers to implementing the new behavior as well as strategies to overcome these barriers.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Acceptability and feasibility | To determine the acceptability and feasibility of selected personal, social and environmental strategies to reduce overall sitting time and increase the number of times participants stand up in a day | 3 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Measurement | To assess whether existing and new measurement approaches can detect specific changes in sedentary behavior. | 3 weeks | 
| Sedentary behavior | To establish whether specified intervention strategies were efficacious in reducing sedentary behavior and whether intervention effects were specific to the targeted sedentary behavior construct (e.g. decreased overall sitting time or increased number of breaks in sitting). | 3 weeks |