Clinical trial NCT04296669: Stand Out in Class: Reducing Sitting Time in the Classroom Environment
Official title: Stand Out in Class: Reducing Sitting Time in the Classroom Environment
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Sedentary Behavior
Child Behavior
Physical Activity
Obesity
Health Behavior
Lead sponsor: Loughborough University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
First posted: 2020-03-05
Enrollment: 90
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 9
Maximum age (years): 10
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Controlled trial (2 intervention groups)
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief 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

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

-

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any child with any disabilities that prevent them from standing up for short periods of time will be requested to continue with their usual practice of sitting at their school desk.
* Children with any disabilities or injuries/illnesses that prevent them from going about their usual routine will be excluded from the evaluation component of the intervention

Primary outcomes:
measure: Sitting time (mins)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Standing time (mins)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Stepping time (mins)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Steps
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Sit to stand transitions
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Total acceleration per minute
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Light physical activity (mins)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Moderate physical activity (mins)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Vigorous physical activity (mins)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Resting Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Resting diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Height (m)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Weight (kg)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Body Mass index (kg/m2)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: waist circumference (cm)
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Stroop test
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Corsi block tapping test
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Rapid visual information processing test
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: musculoskeletal discomfort
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
measure: Behaviour related mental health
timeFrame: 7 days at baseline, 4 months, 8 months
Other outcomes:
measure: Standing class fidelity
timeFrame: 30 minutes at 4 months
measure: Experiences of using standing desks
timeFrame: 30 mins at 4 months
measure: Experiences of teaching with standing desks
timeFrame: 60 mins at 4 months
Locations:
Study officials:
affiliation: Loughborough University
name: Stacy A Clemes, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Sherry AP, Pearson N, Ridgers ND, Barber SE, Bingham DD, Nagy LC, Clemes SA. activPAL-measured sitting levels and patterns in 9-10 years old children from a UK city. J Public Health (Oxf). 2019 Dec 20;41(4):757-764. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdy181.