title: Reducing occupational sedentary time: a systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence on activity-permissive workstations.
abstract: Excessive sedentary time is detrimentally linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. Studies have been investigating the use of activity-permissive workstations to reduce sedentary time in office workers, a highly sedentary target group. This review systematically summarizes the evidence for activity-permissive workstations on sedentary time, health-risk biomarkers, work performance and feasibility indicators in office workplaces. In July 2013, a literature search identified 38 relevant peer-reviewed publications. Key findings were independently extracted by two researchers. The average intervention effect on sedentary time was calculated via meta-analysis. In total, 984 participants across 19 field-based trials and 19 laboratory investigations were included, with sample sizes ranging from n = 2 to 66 per study. Sedentary time, health-risk biomarkers and work performance indicators were reported in 13, 23 and 23 studies, respectively. The pooled effect size from the meta-analysis was -77 min of sedentary time/8-h workday (95% confidence interval = -120, -35 min). Non-significant changes were reported for most health- and work-related outcomes. Studies with acceptability measures reported predominantly positive feedback. Findings suggest that activity-permissive workstations can be effective to reduce occupational sedentary time, without compromising work performance. Larger and longer-term randomized-controlled trials are needed to understand the sustainability of the sedentary time reductions and their longer-term impacts on health- and work-related outcomes.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, Cancer Prevention Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neuhaus
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Eakin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Straker
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Dunstan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Healy
mesh_terms: D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D017132:Workplace
keywords: Active workstations; height-adjustable desks; sedentary behaviour; workplace interventions