title: Cross-sectional Examination of Long-term Access to Sit-Stand Desks in a Professional Office Setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prolonged sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor for many negative health outcomes. Although many employers have begun introducing sit-stand desks as means of reducing employee's occupational sitting time, few studies have examined the impact of prolonged access to such desks on sitting/standing time or cardiometabolic outcomes. The present study compared occupational sedentary/physical activity behaviors and cardiometabolic biomarkers among employees with long-term access to traditional sitting and sit-stand desks.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a naturalistic, cross-sectional study design. Occupational sedentary and physical activity behaviors and cardiometabolic health outcomes were collected in a controlled laboratory between February and June 2014. Data were analyzed in September 2014. Adults working in full-time sedentary desk jobs who reported having either a sit-stand desk (n=31) or standard sitting desk (n=38) for a minimum of 6 months were recruited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Employees with sit-stand desks sat less (p=0.02) and stood more at work (p=0.01) compared with employees with sitting desks. Significant inverse correlations were observed between several occupational physical activity outcomes (walking time, steps at work) and cardiometabolic risk factors (systolic blood pressure, weight, lean mass, BMI) over the entire sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Employees with long-term access to sit-stand desks sat less and stood more compared with employees with sitting desks. These findings hold public health significance, as sit-stand desks represent a potentially sustainable approach for reducing sedentary behavior among the large, growing number of sedentary workers at increased risk for sedentariness-related pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Medicine Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. Electronic address: lucas-carr@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: Lucas J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Medicine Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Medicine Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Medicine Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benzo
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D017132:Workplace