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

Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Adult Office Workers
• Interventions: Behavioral: education talk and leaflet; Device: MyRestBreak 1.0

• Registration Number: NCT01628861
• Lead Sponsor: Glasgow Caledonian University

Brief Summary

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

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.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2010-03
• Primary Completion: 2010-06
• Study Completion: 2010-06
• Status Verified: 2012-06
• Study First Submitted: 2012-06-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-06-26
• Last Update Submitted: 2012-06-26
• Study First Posted: 2012-06-27
• Last Update Posted: 2012-06-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
education only	education talk and leaflet	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.
prompt + education	MyRestBreak 1.0	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.
prompt + education	education talk and leaflet	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.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
duration of prolonged sitting	5 days	total time spent sitting in continuous uninterrupted prolonged (\>30minutes) sitting events at work

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
total sitting duration	5 days	total time spent sitting while at work
number of sitting events	5 days	total number of uninterrupted sitting events (of any duration) during work
step count	5 days	total number of steps taken while at work
break duration	5 days	the duration of breaks between sitting events
walking time	5 days	total time spent walking at work
standing time	5 days	total time spent standing while at work
number of prolonged sitting events	5 days	the number of continuous uninterrupted prolonged (\>30minutes) sitting events during work

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

School of Health & Life Sceinces, Glasgow Caledonian University; 🇬🇧 Glasgow, Lanarkshire, United Kingdom