Mid-term Effect of a Novel Sit-to-stand Workplace (ACTIVE OFFICE) on Cognitive and Physiological Parameters

July 14, 2016 updated by: Bernhard Schwartz, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases, diabetes, several types of cancer and all-cause mortality. In combination with static and awkward postures, the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases can increase further. Although the implementation of sit-to-stand or active workstations can help to reduce sitting time, improve physical activity at work and promote health benefits, it might also lead to changes in cognitive functions such as productivity The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mid-term effect of a novel two desk sit-to-stand workplace on sitting time as well as physiological and cognitive parameters for healthy people of working age in comparison to their traditional workplace.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Measurements were made both in the field and in a laboratory. Field measurements were made and processed continuously over the 23-week intervention period. Laboratory measurements were made on two different days, one day prior to intervention, and one day following intervention (due to cross-over design, each subject underwent 4 total days of laboratory measurements). Field measurements were collected automatically at the participants' workstation in their working office.

Laboratory tests were conducted in a controlled, simulated work-space located at the University of Applied Sciences Campus Linz. All laboratory measurements were made in a controlled laboratory at the campus site Linz of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. Temperature, air flow, humidity, lighting conditions (artificial light only) and noise level were controlled and set to be consistent with the subjects' typical working environment.

During the laboratory measurements, subjects either stood or sat upright in an ergonomic office chair, according to the study protocol. Subjects were encouraged to work as fast and as accurately as they could. To ensure identical testing conditions between subjects and to not unduly influence physiological parameters such as salivary cortisol level or heart rate variability, subjects were required to minimize excessive movement (e.g. standing up during the sitting periods).

In the first (initial) phase, participants were familiarized with the study protocol. Sitting time and weekly physical activity were determined via the IPAQ-questionnaire. Examples of each cognitive test implemented in the cognitive phase were executed according to their guidelines. A 30 minute break in a sitting posture was used to ascertain baseline heart-rate and cortisol level. Baseline heart-rate was calculated after a 20 minute rest for a 5 minute interval and saliva samples were collected at the end (30min) of the break.

In the second (cognitive) phase subjects participated in a test battery containing five blocks. Each block consisted of a working speed test (text editing task), an attentional test (d2R-test of attention) and a reaction time test (Stroop-test). These tests lasted for 30 minutes to fulfill recommendations regarding postural changes. To simulate "common" working conditions (computer based and non-computer based tasks), digital (text editing task, Stroop-test) as well as pen & paper (d2R-test) versions of the implemented tests were used. All blocks were executed in alternating postures (sit - stand - sit - stand - sit) and at the end of each block - after a 5 minute break - salivary samples were collected. The order of posture was not changed within groups or time.

In the third (final) phase participants were asked to estimate their workload by means of the NASA-TLX questionnaire followed by a 30 minute resting phase in a sitting posture. During both 30 min resting phases (initial & final) participants watched documentaries and were encouraged not to talk.

Salivary samples were collected after each break during the study protocol and on the following morning, 20 minutes after waking up, to ascertain cortisol awakening response (CAR). Salivary samples were centrifuged and stored at -80 °C for subsequent testing using a chemiluminescent immunoassay.

Heart-rate and trunk movements were measured from the start of the study protocol until the CAR measurement.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

18

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Austria
    • Upper Austria
      • Linz, Upper Austria, Austria, 4020
        • University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy Caucasian (no acute or chronic diseases)
  • Normal weight or slightly overweight (BMI: 18.5 - 27.5 kg/m²)
  • Regularly working in sedentary office environments
  • Regular computer users
  • Fluent German speakers
  • Consented to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Heavily overweight & Obesity (BMI > 27.5 kg/m²)
  • Short office stay duration (< 8 h / day or < 20 h / week)
  • Experience in sit-to-stand workstations
  • Acute or chronic diseases
  • Inability to stand
  • Visual impairments that had not been corrected
  • Color blindness
  • People planning to change their physical activity level
  • Regular smokers (> 1 cigarette /day)
  • Not consented to participate

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Novel workplace - first half
Intervention: A novel two-desk sit-to-stand workstation for 23 weeks; provided within the first half of the study. Traditional workstation within the second half of the study.
Other: Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks
Desk arrangements: self-determined by the participants Desk equipment: depending on pre-intervention condition - 1 or 2 screens per desk Build-up: one day prior to the intervention period at the location of the workplace Adjustment: together with the study leader
Experimental: Novel workplace - second half
Intervention: A novel two-desk sit-to-stand workstation for 23 weeks; provided within the second half of the study. Traditional workstation within the frist half of the study.
Other: Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks
Desk arrangements: self-determined by the participants Desk equipment: depending on pre-intervention condition - 1 or 2 screens per desk Build-up: one day prior to the intervention period at the location of the workplace Adjustment: together with the study leader
No Intervention: Control group
Control group subjects did not encounter any changes in their regular office environments. Traditional workstation for both halves of the study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Daily sitting time
Time Frame: baseline and 23 weeks
Changes in sitting time after 23 weeks in the experimental group compared with its own control period and the control group. Measuring methods: International Physical Activity Questionaire (IPAQ); self developed tracking software at the participants' workplace
baseline and 23 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cognitive performance (composite outcome)
Time Frame: baseline and 23 weeks
Changes in cognitive performance after 23 weeks in the experimental group compared with its own control period and the control group. Measuring methods: Digital color-word-conflict stroop test, d2R-test of attention, text editing task, NASA-TLX
baseline and 23 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Stress response
Time Frame: baseline and 23 weeks
Changes in stress response after 23 weeks in the experimental group compared with its own control period and the control group. Measuring methods: Heart rate variability (HRV), salivary cortisol ELISA
baseline and 23 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

Collaborators

University of Vienna

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

January 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2015

Study Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 4, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 4, 2016

First Posted (Estimate)

July 7, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

July 15, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 14, 2016

Last Verified

July 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • AO-8735-1
  • 834185 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG))

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Data resulting from this study will be analyzed and published in the PIs' PhD-thesis and journal articles.

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Sedentary Lifestyle

Clinical Trials on Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in United Arab Emirates

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe