title: An e-health intervention designed to increase workday energy expenditure by reducing prolonged occupational sitting habits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Desk-based employees face multiple workplace health hazards such as insufficient physical activity and prolonged sitting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to increase workday energy expenditure by interrupting prolonged occupational sitting time and introducing short-bursts of physical activity to employees' daily work habits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 13-week period participants (n=17) in the intervention group were regularly exposed to a passive prompt delivered through their desktop computer that required them to stand up and engage in a short-burst of physical activity, while the control group (n=17) was not exposed to this intervention. Instead, the control group continued with their normal work routine. All participants completed a pre- and post- intervention survey to estimate workplace daily energy expenditure (calories).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant 2 (Group) × 2 (Test) interaction, F (1, 32)=9.26, p < 0.05. The intervention group increased the calories expended during the workday from pre-test (M=866.29 ± 151.40) to post-test (M=1054.10 ± 393.24), whereas the control group decreased calories expended during the workday from pre-test (M=982.55 ± 315.66) to post-test (M=892.21 ± 255.36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An e-health intervention using a passive prompt was an effective mechanism for increasing employee work-related energy expenditure. Engaging employees in regular short-bursts of physical activity during the workday resulted in reduced sitting time, which may have long-term effects on the improvement of employee health.
authors.affiliation: University of Tasmania, Newnham Campus, Launceston, Australia.
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: University of Tasmania, Newnham Campus, Launceston, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Cooley
authors.affiliation: University of Tasmania, Newnham Campus, Launceston, Australia.
authors.forename: Casey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mainsbridge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Workplace health and wellbeing; employee health; physical activity; prompts; sedentary behavior