title: Project Energise: Using participatory approaches and real time computer prompts to reduce occupational sitting and increase work time physical activity in office workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This efficacy study assessed the added impact real time computer prompts had on a participatory approach to reduce occupational sedentary exposure and increase physical activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi-experimental.
  
  
  METHODS
  57 Australian office workers (mean [SD]; age=47 [11] years; BMI=28 [5]kg/m2; 46 men) generated a menu of 20 occupational 'sit less and move more' strategies through participatory workshops, and were then tasked with implementing strategies for five months (July-November 2014). During implementation, a sub-sample of workers (n=24) used a chair sensor/software package (Sitting Pad) that gave real time prompts to interrupt desk sitting. Baseline and intervention sedentary behaviour and physical activity (GENEActiv accelerometer; mean work time percentages), and minutes spent sitting at desks (Sitting Pad; mean total time and longest bout) were compared between non-prompt and prompt workers using a two-way ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Workers spent close to three quarters of their work time sedentary, mostly sitting at desks (mean [SD]; total desk sitting time=371 [71]min/day; longest bout spent desk sitting=104 [43]min/day). Intervention effects were four times greater in workers who used real time computer prompts (8% decrease in work time sedentary behaviour and increase in light intensity physical activity; p<0.01). Respective mean differences between baseline and intervention total time spent sitting at desks, and the longest bout spent desk sitting, were 23 and 32min/day lower in prompt than in non-prompt workers (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample of office workers, real time computer prompts facilitated the impact of a participatory approach on reductions in occupational sedentary exposure, and increases in physical activity.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: n.gilson1@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nicholas D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Gilson
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
authors.forename: Toby G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Pavey
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Scotland.
authors.forename: Gemma C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ryde
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Australia.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Straker
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Wendy J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003199:Computer Systems; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012984:Software; D013997:Time Factors; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Computer prompts; Occupational sitting; Office workers; Physical activity