Assessing and understanding sedentary behaviour in office-based working adults: a mixed-method approach

Abstract

BackgroundSedentary behaviours (SB) can be characterized by low energy expenditure in a reclining position (e.g., sitting) often associated with work and transport. Prolonged SB is associated with increased risk for chronic conditions, and due to technological advances, the working population is in office settings with high occupational exposure to SB. This study aims to assess SB among office workers, as well as barriers and strategies towards reducing SB in the work setting.MethodsUsing a mixed-methods approach guided by the socio-ecological framework, non-academic office workers from a professional school in a large public university were recruited. Of 180 eligible office workers, 40 enrolled and completed all assessments. Self-reported and objectively measured SB and activity levels were captured. Focus group discussion (FGD) were conducted to further understand perceptions, barriers, and strategies to reducing workplace SB. Environmental factors were systematically evaluated by trained research staff using an adapted version of the Checklist for Health Promotion Environments at Worksites (CHEW). Thematic analysis of FGD was conducted and descriptive analysis of quantitative data was performed.ResultsThe sample was mostly Chinese (n = 33, 80 %) with a total of 24 (60 %) female participants. Most participants worked five days a week for about 9.5(0.5) hrs/day. Accelerometer data show that participants spend the majority of their days in sedentary activities both on workdays (76.9 %) and non-workdays (69.5 %). Self-report data confirm these findings with median sitting time of 420(180) minutes at work. From qualitative analyses, major barriers to reducing SB emerged, including the following themes: workplace social and cultural norms, personal factors, job scope, and physical building/office infrastructure. CHEW results confirm a lack of support from the physical infrastructure and information environment to reducing SB.ConclusionsThere is high SB among office workers in this sample. We identified multiple levels of influence for prolonged occupational SB, with a particular emphasis on workplace norms and infrastructure as important barriers to reducing SB and increasing PA. A larger, representative sample of the Singaporean population is needed to confirm our findings but it seems that any intervention aimed at reducing SB in the workplace should target individual, environmental, and organizational levels.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3023-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Correlates of sedentary behaviour in Asian adults: A systematic review

“…This suggestion is strengthened by two Singaporean studies that reported significantly more accelerometer-measured SB during work-versus non-work days in working adults. 24,90 Considering the strong cultural emphasis on work-related success leading to long working hours in many Asian countries, 100 and the increasing number of people with tertiary education that often leads to (sedentary) desk-bound jobs, the office is an important setting for SB interventions. That such interventions…”

An exploration of the determinants of sedentary behaviour in desk-based employees

“…These reported sitting times are consistent with previous self-reported (Kazi et al, 2014) and objectively measured studies (Thorp et al, 2012;Waters et al, 2016). This further supports the evidence that SB is highly prevalent within desk-based occupations.…”

“…Previous research has reported small sample sizes (Waters et al, 2016) The social ecological model of SB (Owen et al, 2011) has been used to underpin workplace SB interventions (Healy et al, 2016;Mackenzie et al, 2015) as discussed in the Literature Review (Chapter 2). The findings of Study 1 support this, as individual, social, organisational, and environmental factors were found to influence SB.…”

“…This thesis set out to explore the determinants of workplace SB in deskbased employees driven by a knowledge of the negative health consequences associated with SB(Duvivier et al, 2016; Wilmot et al, 2011) and the current prevalence of SB in the workplace(Kazi et al, 2014;Waters et al, 2016). The results of Studies 1 and 2 (Chapter 3 & 4) led to the development of a pragmatic intervention to reduce SB in the workplace (Study 3-5; Chapter 5-7).…”

Ergonomics Risk Assessment among support staff in Universiti Malaysia Pahang

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