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. 2012:9:E154.
doi: 10.5888/pcd9.110323.

Reducing occupational sitting time and improving worker health: the Take-a-Stand Project, 2011

Nicolaas P Pronk  1 , Abigail S Katz, Marcia Lowry, Jane Rodmyre Payfer
Affiliations

Reducing occupational sitting time and improving worker health: the Take-a-Stand Project, 2011

Nicolaas P Pronk et al. Prev Chronic Dis. 2012.

Abstract

Background: Prolonged sitting time is a health risk. We describe a practice-based study designed to reduce prolonged sitting time and improve selected health factors among workers with sedentary jobs.

Community context: We conducted our study during March-May 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, among employees with sedentary jobs.

Methods: Project implementation occurred over 7 weeks with a baseline period of 1 week (period 1), an intervention period of 4 weeks (period 2), and a postintervention period of 2 weeks (period 3). The intervention group (n = 24) received a sit-stand device during period 2 designed to fit their workstation, and the comparison group (n = 10) did not. We used experience-sampling methods to monitor sitting behavior at work during the 7 weeks of the project. We estimated change scores in sitting time, health risk factors, mood states, and several office behaviors on the basis of survey responses.

Outcome: The Take-a-Stand Project reduced time spent sitting by 224% (66 minutes per day), reduced upper back and neck pain by 54%, and improved mood states. Furthermore, the removal of the device largely negated all observed improvements within 2 weeks.

Interpretation: Our findings suggest that using a sit-stand device at work can reduce sitting time and generate other health benefits for workers.

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Figures

Photo of workstations
Figure 1
Sit-stand devices used in the Take-a-Stand Project, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2011.
Bar graph
Figure 2. Average experience-sampling methodology (ESM) score by group and period of the study, the Take-a-Stand Project, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2011. ESM score represents the average score by period generated by participants responding to the questions whether they were sitting (0), standing (1), or walking (2), respectively. Period 1 represents the baseline period (average across 1 week), Period 2 represents the intervention period (average across 4 weeks), and period 3 represents the postintervention period (average across 2 weeks).
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