Self-reported actual and desired proportion of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting: do they fit together?

Abstract Objective Occupational sitting time in white-collar workers represents a prominent contributor to overall daily sitting time, which is associated with various health risks. Workplace interventions intending to reduce sitting time during work typically focus on replacing sitting with standin...

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Main Authors: Birgit Wallmann-Sperlich, Josephine Y. Chau, Ingo Froboese
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2017-11-01
Series:BMC Research Notes
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-017-2829-9
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author Birgit Wallmann-Sperlich
Josephine Y. Chau
Ingo Froboese
author_facet Birgit Wallmann-Sperlich
Josephine Y. Chau
Ingo Froboese
author_sort Birgit Wallmann-Sperlich
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective Occupational sitting time in white-collar workers represents a prominent contributor to overall daily sitting time, which is associated with various health risks. Workplace interventions intending to reduce sitting time during work typically focus on replacing sitting with standing. The aim was to investigate and compare actual and desired proportions of time spent sitting, standing, walking, and doing physically demanding tasks at work reported by desk-based workers. Cross-sectional data were collected from German desk-based workers (n = 614; 53.3% men; 40.9 ± 13.5 years). All were interviewed about their self-reported actual and desired level of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks at work. Results Desk-based workers reported to sit 73.0%, stand 10.2%, walk 12.9% and do physically demanding tasks 3.9% of their working hours. However, the individuals desire to sit, stand, walk and do physically demand tasks significantly different [53.8% sit, 15.8% stand, 22.8% walk, physically demanding tasks (7.7%), p < 0.001]. The present data revealed greatest mismatch between the desk-based workers’ actual and desired time for sitting and walking. Health promotion programs should offer not only options for more standing but also opportunities for more walking within the workplace setting to better match workers’ desires.
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spelling doaj.art-98e9119d46894540b43756f154f722cd2022-12-21T22:48:35ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002017-11-011011610.1186/s13104-017-2829-9Self-reported actual and desired proportion of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting: do they fit together?Birgit Wallmann-Sperlich0Josephine Y. Chau1Ingo Froboese2Institute for Sports Science, Julius-Maximilians University WürzburgPrevention Research Collaboration, School of Public Health, The University of SydneyInstitute of Health Promotion and Clinical Movement Science, German Sport University CologneAbstract Objective Occupational sitting time in white-collar workers represents a prominent contributor to overall daily sitting time, which is associated with various health risks. Workplace interventions intending to reduce sitting time during work typically focus on replacing sitting with standing. The aim was to investigate and compare actual and desired proportions of time spent sitting, standing, walking, and doing physically demanding tasks at work reported by desk-based workers. Cross-sectional data were collected from German desk-based workers (n = 614; 53.3% men; 40.9 ± 13.5 years). All were interviewed about their self-reported actual and desired level of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks at work. Results Desk-based workers reported to sit 73.0%, stand 10.2%, walk 12.9% and do physically demanding tasks 3.9% of their working hours. However, the individuals desire to sit, stand, walk and do physically demand tasks significantly different [53.8% sit, 15.8% stand, 22.8% walk, physically demanding tasks (7.7%), p < 0.001]. The present data revealed greatest mismatch between the desk-based workers’ actual and desired time for sitting and walking. Health promotion programs should offer not only options for more standing but also opportunities for more walking within the workplace setting to better match workers’ desires.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-017-2829-9Office-workersPhysical activitySitting timeCross-sectional
spellingShingle Birgit Wallmann-Sperlich
Josephine Y. Chau
Ingo Froboese
Self-reported actual and desired proportion of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting: do they fit together?
BMC Research Notes
Office-workers
Physical activity
Sitting time
Cross-sectional
title Self-reported actual and desired proportion of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting: do they fit together?
title_full Self-reported actual and desired proportion of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting: do they fit together?
title_fullStr Self-reported actual and desired proportion of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting: do they fit together?
title_full_unstemmed Self-reported actual and desired proportion of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting: do they fit together?
title_short Self-reported actual and desired proportion of sitting, standing, walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting: do they fit together?
title_sort self reported actual and desired proportion of sitting standing walking and physically demanding tasks of office employees in the workplace setting do they fit together
topic Office-workers
Physical activity
Sitting time
Cross-sectional
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-017-2829-9
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