The Effect of Breaking up Sitting in the Workplace on Cardiometabolic Risk and Worker Productivity

Pilot Study of a Tailored Intervention to Break up Sitting in the Workplace on Cardiometabolic Risk and Worker Productivity

This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) will examine the effect of a tailored workplace intervention based on interrupting sitting on work productivity, well-being and cardio-metabolic risk in office workers. The experimental group in the 8-week intervention will be prompted to alternate between sitting and standing while working. The ratio between sitting and standing will begin at 3:1 (two hours per day in an eight-hour day) and increase to 1:1 (four hours per day in an eight-hour day) by the end of the second week of the eight-week intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Full-time office employees from any ethnic background, PC/Android phone users, and recruited from two different work sites.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy
• History of musculoskeletal complaint
• Non-ambulatory
• Having a planned holiday that would mean they would not be at work for more than two weeks during the 8-week intervention period.