Better Breaks: Strength Breaks vs Walk Breaks for Sedentary Behavior Breaks

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Sedentary Employees

• Registration Number: NCT06909097
• Lead Sponsor: Stanford University

Brief Summary

This study investigates the benefits of two different types of 2 minute activity breaks during sedentary workdays for people who sit for long periods of time in sedentary jobs.

Detailed Description

For this study, participants are randomly assigned to one of two physical activity breaks and for 8 weeks are to do 4 per day and track their daily breaks and productivity. There are many measurements including: in-person strength assessments at baseline, 1 month, and 2 months; daily tracking of breaks; pre and post oral glucose tolerance tests; pre and post 10-day diet tracking; pre and post 10-day Continuous Glucose Monitoring with a Dexcom; genome with saliva at pre; and -omics at pre and post.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2024-09
• Study Start: 2024-10-05
• Study First Submitted: 2025-03-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-03-27
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-27
• Study First Posted: 2025-04-03
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-03
• Primary Completion: 2025-12-01
• Study Completion: 2026-03-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

Identify inclusion criteria.

1. Sedentary occupation (e.g., clerical work, data entry, call center, receptionists)
2. Full time employment remote or on-site
3. Able to safely perform bodyweight squats and lunges
4. Over 30 years old
5. Not currently doing a strength training program
6. Not currently taking planned activity breaks at work
7. Has a smart phone with a camera and unlimited text plans
8. Interested in participating
9. Fluent in English
10. Not currently on insulin or any glucose lowering medication

Exclusion Criteria

1. Yes to any of the physical activity readiness criteria questionnaire (e.g. cardiac symptoms with increasing heart rate, dizziness upon performing exercise)
2. Participating in another research study on diet, weight loss, or any physical activity.
3. If their doctor has ever said to not strength train
4. Having insulin dependence

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in average area under the curve for glucose from a 10 day continuous glucose monitors	from baseline to post (8 weeks)	Change from pre to post in average area under the curve for glucose from a 10 day continuous glucose monitors

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in strength from pre to post	from baseline to 8 weeks	As many reps as possible of squats wearing a weighted vest with 20% of their bodyweight
Change in endurance from pre to post	from baseline to 8 weeks	As long as possible in as low as possible wall sit (matching pre and post joint angles for participant)
Change in one legged strength from pre to post	from baseline to 8 weeks	As many reps as possible standing up from a seated position on one leg and sitting back down

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Stanford Prevention Research Center; 🇺🇸 Palo Alto, California, United States