Stand-Capable Workstations Reduce Occupational Sedentary Time Among Administrative Workers.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSIn this study, we found that workers who use stand-biased desks stood more and sat less during their workday compared to workers who use traditional desks. Stand-biased users also experienced significantly less lower back discomfort compared to both traditional and sit-stand workstation users. Based on these findings, we recommend that the use of stand-biased workstations be considered when designing or renovating work office workspaces. The health risks of sedentary behavior are inherent in most office work, but these risks can be alleviated with intentional equipment choices. Using stand-biased desks can encourage workers to move more throughout the workday without their productivity or comfort being disturbed.

Background: Sedentary activity, especially occupational sitting, is a leading cause of musculoskeletal discomfort among office workers. The amount of time employees spend seated is associated with the type of workstation that they utilize.Purpose: We investigated differences in computer utilization, physical activity, and discomfort among office workers who used three workstation types (stand-biased, sit-stand, or traditional).Methods: Among a sample of office workers (n = 61), we used data-logging software to measure computer utilization over 10 days, activity sensors to measure daily general activity levels (i.e., sitting, standing, running, etc.) during the 8am­5pm workday and the 24-h day, and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) to evaluate discomfort.Results: There was no significant difference in the number of keyclicks between the three groups; however, the stand-biased group had a significantly higher word count and more errors than the traditional group. The 24-h activity data revealed that the stand-biased group had significantly more standing time, less sitting time, and fewer transitions per hour compared to their traditional counterparts.Conclusions: Stand-biased workstations can be a viable workstation alternative to reduce sitting time without decreasing activity or creating additional discomfort.

Factors Associated With Incident and Recurrent Falls Among Men Enrolled in Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Programs: An Examination of Race and Ethnicity.

We examined factors associated with incident (one) and recurrent (2+) falls among 7207 non-Hispanic White (NHW) (89.7%), non-Hispanic Black (NHB) (5.0%), and Hispanic (5.3%) men ages ≥60 years with ≥1 chronic conditions, enrolled in an evidence-based fall program. Multinomial and binary regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with incident and recurrent falls. Relative to zero falls, NHB and Hispanic men were less likely to report incident (OR = 0.55, p < .001 and OR = 0.70, p = .015, respectively) and recurrent (OR = 0.41, p < .001 and OR = 0.58, p < .001, respectively) falls. Men who reported fear of falling and restricting activities were more likely to report incident (OR = 1.16, p < .001 and OR = 1.32, p < .001, respectively) recurrent and (OR = 1.46, p < .001 and OR = 1.71, p < .001, respectively) falls. Men with more comorbidities were more likely to report recurrent falls (OR = 1.10, p < .001). Compared to those who experienced one fall, men who reported fear of falling (OR = 1.28, p < .001) and restricting activities (OR = 1.31, p < .001) were more likely to report recurrent falls. Findings highlight the importance of multi-component interventions to prevent falls.

Stand-Biased Desk Intervention on Sleep Quality of High School Students: A Pilot Study Using Tri-Axial Accelerometery.

Prolonged sitting is related to a sedentary inactive lifestyle and related to obesity and many metabolic problems caused by inactivity. The problem gets more serious for people who spent most of their work time in a seated position like students or office workers. In this study, we provided standing desk and stool to the local public high school and observed the changes in their behavior in terms of physical activity using tri-axial accelerometer before and after intervention. Previously published study using the same dataset under the larger project reported increased physical activity during school hours. In this study, we extracted more diverse features directly from the raw data instead of using data processed by the software that manufacturer provided. Hence, we were able to analyze the same features (sedentary, physically active time) as well as sleep-related variables. Of the interest, sleep is another important feature that can tell us about participants' health conditions. Even if the intervention contributed to updating their behavioral patterns, the result might be nullified in the long run if their sleep pattern was compromised. The quantity and quality of sleep was not changed after the intervention. Therefore, the efficacy of standing desks has been confirmed again.

Smart Software Can Increase Sit-Stand Desk Transitions During Active Computer Use.

The objective use of table top adjustable sit-stand desks has yet to be determined, due to the lack of an effective digital evaluation method. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of computer prompt software on table top sit-stand desks to determine if there was a difference in the frequency of desk position changes. This five month, pre-post pilot study on 47 university staff members used a novel USB accelerometer sensor and computer software reminders to continuously record and prompt increases in desk usage to promote physical activity at the workstation. During the baseline phase (3 months), desk usage data were continuously recorded for all workers. Following the baseline, the results from a two-month intervention of personalized computer reminders doubled the number of desk position changes per work day from 1 desk position change every 2 work days to 1 change every work day. Furthermore, those who changed desk positions once or twice a day increased from 4% to 36% from baseline to intervention. Overall, the intervention was encouraging, but longer intervention studies are warranted to determine if the desk usage behavior change can be improved and sustained for years and whether that change results in health gains.

Development of the Fatigue Risk Assessment and Management in High-Risk Environments (FRAME) Survey: A Participatory Approach.

Existing risk assessment tools are not effective or sustainable in identifying Oil and Gas Extraction (OGE) workers at high risk of fatigue-related injuries or incidents. We developed a comprehensive Fatigue Risk Assessment and Management in high-risk Environments (FRAME) survey through an industry-academic participatory approach. The FRAME survey was developed through: (1) systematic gathering of existing fatigue scales; (2) refining the inventory using the Delphi Consensus technique; and (3) further refinement through employee/worker focus groups. The participatory approach resulted in a final FRAME survey across four fatigue dimensions-sleep, shiftwork, physical, and mental fatigue, and was composed of 26 items. The FRAME survey was founded on occupational fatigue science and refined and tailored to the OGE industry, through rigorous industry stakeholder input, for safer, effective, practical, and sustainable fatigue assessment and management efforts.

Stand-Biased Versus Seated Classrooms and Childhood Obesity: A Randomized Experiment in Texas.

OBJECTIVES: To measure changes in body mass index (BMI) percentiles among third- and fourth-grade students in stand-biased classrooms and traditional seated classrooms in 3 Texas elementary schools. METHODS: Research staff recorded the height and weight of 380 students in 24 classrooms across the 3 schools at the beginning (2011-2012) and end (2012-2013) of the 2-year study. RESULTS: After adjustment for grade, race/ethnicity, and gender, there was a statistically significant decrease in BMI percentile in the group that used stand-biased desks for 2 consecutive years relative to the group that used standard desks during both years. Mean BMI increased by 0.1 and 0.4 kilograms per meter squared in the treatment and control groups, respectively. The between-group difference in BMI percentile change was 5.24 (SE = 2.50; P = .037). No other covariates had a statistically significant impact on BMI percentile changes. CONCLUSIONS: Changing a classroom to a stand-biased environment had a significant effect on students' BMI percentile, indicating the need to redesign traditional classroom environments.

Obesity-specific neural cost of maintaining gait performance under complex conditions in community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence of obesity-related changes in the prefrontal cortex during cognitive and seated motor activities has surfaced; however, the impact of obesity on neural activity during ambulation remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine obesity-specific neural cost of simple and complex ambulation in older adults. METHODS: Twenty non-obese and obese individuals, 65years and older, performed three tasks varying in the types of complexity of ambulation (simple walking, walking+cognitive dual-task, and precision walking). Maximum oxygenated hemoglobin, a measure of neural activity, was measured bilaterally using a portable functional near infrared spectroscopy system, and gait speed and performance on the complex tasks were also obtained. FINDINGS: Complex ambulatory tasks were associated with ~2-3.5 times greater cerebral oxygenation levels and ~30-40% slower gait speeds when compared to the simple walking task. Additionally, obesity was associated with three times greater oxygenation levels, particularly during the precision gait task, despite obese adults demonstrating similar gait speeds and performances on the complex gait tasks as non-obese adults. INTERPRETATION: Compared to existing studies that focus solely on biomechanical outcomes, the present study is one of the first to examine obesity-related differences in neural activity during ambulation in older adults. In order to maintain gait performance, obesity was associated with higher neural costs, and this was augmented during ambulatory tasks requiring greater precision control. These preliminary findings have clinical implications in identifying individuals who are at greater risk of mobility limitations, particularly when performing complex ambulatory tasks.

Predicting violent behavior in clinical settings: a case-control study of a mental health inpatient unit.

In order to assist staff in recognizing patients prone to violence and guide their clinical decision-making, this study summarizes mental health inpatient unit incidents over a one-year period. Results describe demographic and clinical information for patients, and evaluate risk assessment tools currently used to predict risk. A retrospective analysis included data on patients involved in incidents and frequency matched controls. There were a total of 44 incidents, caused by 38 unique patients. A constructed model to estimate patient characteristics and risk of violent incidents included involuntary admittance (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.05-6.11, p = 0.039), more than one admission at the facility (OR 4.18, 95% CI 1.71-10.22, p = 0.002) and Global Subjective Irritability on day one (OR 4.24, 95% CI 1.77-10.16, p = 0.001). Violent incidents on the mental inpatient unit threaten safety and disrupt the therapeutic environment. The findings may be useful in aiding clinicians to quickly recognize patients that are prone to violence.

Standing Up for Learning: A Pilot Investigation on the Neurocognitive Benefits of Stand-Biased School Desks.

Standing desks have proven to be effective and viable solutions to combat sedentary behavior among children during the school day in studies around the world. However, little is known regarding the potential of such interventions on cognitive outcomes in children over time. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the neurocognitive benefits, i.e., improvements in executive functioning and working memory, of stand-biased desks and explore any associated changes in frontal brain function. 34 freshman high school students were recruited for neurocognitive testing at two time points during the school year: (1) in the fall semester and (2) in the spring semester (after 27.57 (1.63) weeks of continued exposure). Executive function and working memory was evaluated using a computerized neurocognitive test battery, and brain activation patterns of the prefrontal cortex were obtained using functional near infrared spectroscopy. Continued utilization of the stand-biased desks was associated with significant improvements in executive function and working memory capabilities. Changes in corresponding brain activation patterns were also observed. These findings provide the first preliminary evidence on the neurocognitive benefits of standing desks, which to date have focused largely on energy expenditure. Findings obtained here can drive future research with larger samples and multiple schools, with comparison groups that may in turn implicate the importance of stand-biased desks, as simple environmental changes in classrooms, on enhancing children's cognitive functioning that drive their cognitive development and impact educational outcomes.

The evaluation of the impact of a stand-biased desk on energy expenditure and physical activity for elementary school students.

Due to the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, the association between classroom furniture and energy expenditure as well as physical activity was examined using a standing-desk intervention in three central-Texas elementary schools. Of the 480 students in the 24 classrooms randomly assigned to either a seated or stand-biased desk equipped classroom, 374 agreed to participate in a week-long data collection during the fall and spring semesters. Each participant's data was collected using Sensewear® armbands and was comprised of measures of energy expenditure (EE) and step count. A hierarchical linear mixed effects model showed that children in seated desk classrooms had significantly lower (EE) and fewer steps during the standardized lecture time than children in stand-biased classrooms after adjusting for grade, race, and gender. The use of a standing desk showed a significant higher mean energy expenditure by 0.16 kcal/min (p < 0.0001) in the fall semester, and a higher EE by 0.08 kcal/min (p = 0.0092) in the spring semester.

Using stand/sit workstations in classrooms: lessons learned from a pilot study in Texas.

Childhood obesity has grown into a national epidemic since the 1980s. Many school-based intervention efforts that target childhood obesity involve curriculum and programming that demands instructional time, which disincentivizes school participation. Stand-biased classrooms are an environmental intervention that promotes standing rather than sitting by utilizing standing height desks that allow students to stand during normal classroom activities. The quasi-experimental pilot study was conducted in 5 first-grade classrooms in a Texas elementary school, with 2 control classrooms, 2 treatment classrooms, and 1 classroom that was a control in the fall and treatment in the spring (to allow for within-group comparisons). This intervention has been shown effective in significantly increasing caloric expenditure. In addition, the present study reveals potential behavioral effects from standing. This article presents lessons learned from the pilot study that may prove useful for others implementing similar interventions and calls for additional research on the academic benefits of standing for students.

The association of physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and body mass index classification in a cross-sectional analysis: are the effects homogenous?

BACKGROUND: While much is known about the benefits of physical activity (PA) and the consequence of sedentary behaviors relative to body mass index (BMI), little is known about the homogeneity of these effects across individuals. The goal of this study was to determine if PA and sedentary behaviors have the same effect on individuals of all BMI classifications. METHODS: Data from a community health assessment were analyzed and a sample was selected to include respondents who self-reported a chronic disease associated with obesity (n = 2,840). Descriptive statistics were used to describe the association between selected independent variables and BMI. Simultaneous quantile regression was used to identify the degree of homogeneity in the effect of demographic independent variables, minutes per week of moderate PA, and hours per day spent watching television on BMI classification. In studies using simultaneous quantile regression, the word "effect" is used to describe association, not causation. RESULTS: Minutes per week of moderate PA had a significant effect on lower BMI, but only when respondents were at least classified as obese-class I (ß = -0.001, p = 0.006). The change in effect of moderate PA in lower BMI increased significantly when respondents were classified as obese-class II versus obese-class I (F = 4.54, p = 0.033). Hours per day spent watching television had a significant effect on higher BMI, but only when the respondent was at least classified as overweight (ß = 0.87, p < 0.001). The change in effect of watching television on higher BMI increased significantly when respondents were classified as obese-class I versus overweight (F = 5.57, p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: PA and watching television were more related to BMI for obese individuals than those who were just overweight. Customized interventions for specific BMI classifications should be developed to maximize public health benefits.

An in situ study of the habits of users that affect office chair design and testing.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to perform an in situ assessment of office seating habits that influence chair testing and design. BACKGROUND: Many chair testing parameters were derived decades ago when the average weight of people within the United States was dramatically lower and the office work tasks less computer based. METHOD: For the study, 51 participants were randomly selected from Brazos Valley, Texas, businesses to participate in 8-hr assessments of office seating habits. Overall results were compared with current chair testing and design assumptions. Data were collected through written survey and through data logging of seat and back contact pressure and duration with the use of the X-SENSOR pressure mapping device and software. Additionally, I day per participant of caster roll distance was recorded with the use of a caster mounted digital encoder. Participants were grouped by body mass index (BMI) and weight (BMI <35 and weight < 102 kg or BMI >35 and weight >102 kg). RESULTS: It was determined that a significant difference did exist between the groups in mean seat time per shift (p < .001), back cycles per shift (p < .002), seat cycles per shift (p < .01), and caster distance rolled per shift (p < .001). CONCLUSION: Several key parameters and assumptions of current chair test methods and design specifications may no longer be valid for the upper quartile of weight range of the current U.S. population. APPLICATION: The data collected in this study will enable engineers to determine whether revision of design standards for testing office seating for both normal weight and extremely obese workers is indicated.

The impact of stand-biased desks in classrooms on calorie expenditure in children.

Childhood obesity is a public health concern with significant health and economic impacts. We conducted a prospective experimental study in 4 classrooms in central Texas to determine the effect of desks that encourage standing rather than sitting on caloric expenditure in children. Students were monitored with calorie expenditure-measuring arm-bands worn for 10 days in the fall and spring. The treatment group experienced significant increases in calorie expenditure over the control group, a finding that has implications for policy and practice.