Ashley Ejnik

Publication Date

2016

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Umoren, Josephine M.

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Health Studies

LCSH

Sitting position; Office chairs; Work environment; Employees--Exercise

Abstract

Excessive sitting time is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and premature mortality and is prevalent in office-based workplace settings. Researchers have designed a wide variety of interventions designed to increase physical activity in the workplace, but only within the last decade has decreasing sedentary activity explicitly been targeted. The objective of this pre/post quasi-experimental study (Standpoints!) was to evaluate the impact of a multi-component workplace intervention on office employees' percentage of sitting time. The 6-week intervention was comprised of web-based, in-person, and point tracker components. Changes in the percentage of sitting time at the workplace, in minutes per 8-hour work day (primary outcome), were measured by self-reported data through the Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ). The control group was not exposed to this intervention; these participants were encouraged to continue normal daily routines and not to drastically change their nutrition habits or physical activity during the 6-week period. Relative to the controls, the intervention group significantly reduced workplace sitting time (mean change -45 min/8-h workday). Workplace sitting was replaced primarily by incorporating standing (+39 min 22 sec/8h workday) and walking (+5 min and 46 sec/8-h workday) with no change in heavy labor/physically demanding tasks. The control group alternatively had an increase in their percentage of sitting time during the span of the 6-week period (+8 min 38 sec/8h workday) and reduced the amount of standing (-6 min and 14 sec/8-h workday), walking (-4min and 19 sec/8-h workday), and heavy labor/physically demanding tasks (-58 sec/8h workday). This 6-week multi-component workplace intervention showed significant reductions in sitting time in the intervention group. Studies to assess the sustainability of this program and the potential for other health related benefits of reducing sitting time are needed.

Comments

Advisors: Josephine Umoren.||Committee members: Priyanka Ghosh Roy; Lynn Herrmann.||Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations.

Extent

v, 94 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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