The intervention had no statistically significant effect on sitting time or sit-to-stand transitions. Participation improved perceived wellness in the absence of behavior change.

Sedentary behavior is an independent and prominent risk factor for chronic disease. Occupational sitting is likely to be the largest determinant of overall daily sitting time. Gathering accurate data on sedentary behaviors is essential to determine prevalence and effectiveness of interventions to reduce sedentary time. The purpose of this research was to determine whether self-reported sedentary time assessed by the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) and the Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ) was related to objectively assessed sedentary time by the activPAL3 activity monitor. In the spring of 2015, 44 women employed full-time at Slippery Rock University participated in this study. Participants were predominantly Caucasian (95%), middle-aged (48 ± 10 years), and had an average BMI of 30.5 ± 8.2. A positive, weak correlation was found in sedentary time between the PPAQ (14.65 ± 2.77 h) and the activPAL3 (17.71 ± 1.46 h) over a 24 hour day (r = 0.253; p = 0.098; n = 44). Thirty-nine of the 44 participants significantly underestimated their sedentary time as compared to the activPAL3 (3.06 ± 2.76 h; p = 0.001). A positive, weak correlation was also found in sedentary time between the OSPAQ (5.96 ± 1.11 h) and the activPAL3 (5.69 ± 1.06 h) during the 8.5 hour work day (r = 0.100; p = 0.518; n = 44). Future studies examining sedentary behaviors should use caution when only considering the use of subjective recall surveys. This is especially true when self-reported behaviors are used to inform health promotion programs and create universal recommendations aimed to reduce sedentary time.

An objective measure of walking performance could have several potential applications in clinical settings. The cross-sectional relationships among long distance corridor walk (LDCW) time, physical activity, and subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) measures were examined before group randomization in 492 participants (mean age, 57.0+/-2.9 years) from the Women On the Move Through Activity and Nutrition (WOMAN) study, a randomized clinical trial involving postmenopausal women. Longer walk times were significantly associated with higher body mass index (P<0001), average waist circumference (P<0001), and lower levels of physical activity (P<002). The proportion of detectable coronary artery calcification and median aortic pulse wave velocity levels were significantly higher among those with slower walk times (P<002 and P<.001, respectively). Findings from the current report support the utility of the LDCW to identify women at higher risk for CVD who may be candidates for further cardiovascular testing or intensive lifestyle intervention.

No abstract

Regular exercise and physical activity (PA) reduce the risk of chronic disease and premature mortality. Emerging evidence links sedentary behaviors, independent of exercise and PA, with increased risk of disease and premature mortality. Sedentary behaviors include sitting or lying during waking hours. Many adults spend the majority of time in sedentary occupations. PURPOSE: To determine, in sedentary office workers: 1) time spent in PA and sedentary behaviors and 2) whether the workers who were most active also spent the least time sitting during a typical 5 day work week. METHODS: Participants (n = 44) were women who had a sedentary, office-based job. The activPAL3 activity monitor was placed on the thigh and participants were asked to maintain normal daily activities while wearing it continuously for seven days. Objective measures of PA and sedentary behavior during a 8.5 hour work day were obtained. Participants were divided into tertials based on average daily step count. A comparison of PA and sedentary time during work hours was made between participants in the lowest (n=15) and highest (n=15) tertiles. RESULTS: Participants were predominantly Caucasian (95%), middle-aged (48 + 9y), with a BMI of (30. 5 + 8.2). During the workday, participants spent 5.7 + 1.1 hrs sitting, 2.0 + 1.1 hrs standing, and 0.7 + 0.2 stepping. Participants in the lowest step tertile spent 5.6 + 1.6 hrs sitting, 2.4 + 1.6 hrs standing, and 0.5 + 0.2 stepping. Those in the highest step tertile spent 6.1 + 0.7 hrs sitting, 1.5 + 0.7 hrs standing, and 0.9 + 0.3 stepping. A significant difference was observed in time spent stepping between those in the lowest and highest step count tertiles (p<0.001). No significant difference in time spent sitting (p=0.3) or standing (p=0.07) was found between those in the lowest and highest step count tertiles. CONCLUSION: Employees with the most time stepping did not sit less than employees with the least time stepping. This may suggest that employees classified as active might also be classified as sedentary. Therefore, to have the greatest value, interventions intended to improve employee health must target both physical activity and time spent sitting.