Point-of-Choice Prompts to Reduce Prolonged Sitting Time at Work

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to determine whether an on-screen prompt put on the work computer every 30 minutes is effective in getting office workers to reduce prolonged periods of sitting at work.

Detailed Description
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Prolonged bouts of uninterrupted time spent sitting is associated with indicators of poor health, independent of how physically active a person is. Many occupations are now sedentary, and are characterised by long periods spent sitting at a desk. Brief education on the benefits of standing regularly and breaking up prolonged sitting will be provided to participants, working at a Scottish University. One intervention group will additionally have software installed on their work computer which placed a prompt window in the centre of their screen for 1 minute every 30 minutes. The prompt will remind participants to stand-up and take a break, and the window cannot be removed or minimised.

Official Title
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Point-of-Choice Prompts to Reduce Prolonged Sitting Time at Work: A Randomised Trial

Conditions
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Adult Office Workers

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: MyRestBreak 1.0
* Behavioral: education talk and leaflet


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Employee of Glasgow Caledonian University Aged between 18 and 65 years Self-reported desk-based occupation Informed written consent provided Ability to stand unassisted Exclusion Criteria: Any musculoskeletal condition which limits ability to stand regularly

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 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 |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: education only<br>A short educational talk, read from a script, regarding the health risks of prolonged sitting, stating that standing every 30 minutes could be beneficial. A short information leaflet with the same message is also provided. | Behavioral: education talk and leaflet<br>* A short educational talk, read from a script, regarding the health risks of prolonged sitting, stating that standing every 30 minutes could be beneficial. A short information leaflet stating with the same message is also provided.<br>|
| Experimental: prompt + education<br>A short educational talk, read from a script, regarding the health risks of prolonged sitting, stating that standing every 30 minutes could be beneficial. A short information leaflet with the same message is also provided. Prompting software (MyRestBreak 1.0 copyright Vikram Sharma) will be installed on the work computer. A prompt with the message stand up, take a break is placed on the screen of the work computer for 1 minutes every 30 minutes, from the time the computer is switched on in the morning. The prompt is contained in a window 11x9 cm in the centre of the screen. The prompt cannot be removed or minimised, but work can continue in any windows visible around the prompt. The prompt is on the computer for 5 days. | Device: MyRestBreak 1.0<br>* Prompting software (MyRestBreak 1.0 copyright Vikram Sharma) will be installed on the work computer. A prompt with the message stand up, take a break is placed on the screen of the work computer for 1 minutes every 30 minutes, from the time the computer is switched on in the morning. The prompt is contained in a window 11x9 cm in the centre of the screen. The prompt cannot be removed or minimised, but work can continue in any windows visible around the prompt. The prompt is on the computer for 5 days.<br>Behavioral: education talk and leaflet<br>* A short educational talk, read from a script, regarding the health risks of prolonged sitting, stating that standing every 30 minutes could be beneficial. A short information leaflet stating with the same message is also provided.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| duration of prolonged sitting | total time spent sitting in continuous uninterrupted prolonged (>30minutes) sitting events at work | 5 days | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| total sitting duration | total time spent sitting while at work | 5 days | 
| number of sitting events | total number of uninterrupted sitting events (of any duration) during work | 5 days | 
| step count | total number of steps taken while at work | 5 days | 
| break duration | the duration of breaks between sitting events | 5 days | 
| walking time | total time spent walking at work | 5 days | 
| standing time | total time spent standing while at work | 5 days | 
| number of prolonged sitting events | the number of continuous uninterrupted prolonged (>30minutes) sitting events during work | 5 days | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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work, occupation, sitting, sedentary behaviour, office worker, adult, education, point-of-choice prompt