Efficacy of a Combined Ergonomic Health Promotion Intervention on Employee Health

Efficacy of a Combined Ergonomic Health Promotion Intervention on Employee Health

Our objective in this pilot study is to test the combined effect of a) replacing office workers' sedentary workstations with active workstations (LifeBalance Station) and b) optimizing computer workstation ergonomics on daily occupational sedentary time, cardiometabolic risk factors, musculoskeletal symptom health outcomes and work productivity.

Primary Aim: To compare the effects of providing sedentary employees with seated active workstations in combination with an ergonomic intervention and regular motivational emails (experimental group) against the ergonomic intervention and regular emails only (active control group) on occupational sedentary behavior over 16 weeks.

Hypothesis: The addition of a seated active workstation will result in significant reductions in daily occupational sedentary time compared to the active control group.

Secondary Aims: To compare the effects of the experimental group against the active control group on secondary measures of cardiometabolic disease risk factors, musculoskeletal discomfort, cognitive function and work productivity.

Hypothesis 1: The experimental group will result in reduced cardiometabolic disease risk, musculoskeletal discomfort and work limitations compared to the active control group.

Inclusion Criteria:

• We will recruit overweight/obese (body mass index 25.0-40.0 kg/m2) adults (18-65 years) working in full-time (minimum 35 hours/week), sedentary (self-report sitting >75% work time) occupations at an independent work site.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Working in an office that will not meet the space or electrical requirements of the active workstation, acute or chronic illness not under treatment of a provider, orthopedic limitations that prohibit physical activity, current or planned pregnancy, hospitalization from a physical or mental disorder in the past six months and/or taking medication that may impair physical activity