Can sit-stand table usage affect the level of physical activity and body composition in office workers with overweight and obesity?

• Grant number: 18/06359-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ana Beatriz de Oliveira
• Grantee: Dechristian França Barbieri
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The use of computer is a reality in occupational life. Sedentary behavior is characterized by workplaces where workers remain in sitting and constrained positions for more than six hours throughout the workday, performing activities with low physical demand such as computer work. This sedentary behavior produces adverse health effects such as decreases in physical capability and metabolic activity that predispose overweight and obesity. Therefore, it is necessary, yet challenging, to find ways to reduce the proportion of time spent in sitting position; break up periods of unchanged postures in computer work, and thereby prevent unhealthy patters. One possible intervention that has been pointed out is the use of sit-stand tables. However, there is a lack of information showing whether the use of sit-stand tables can control overweight/obesity, and whether there is an ideal pre-set time (sitting vs. standing) that can increase those effects. The aim of this study is to determine a comfortable pre-set time of sit-stand table usage for people classified as overweight and obese type I, and investigate if sit-stand table use for a long period can positively improve health conditions in this population. Two studies will be conducted to address these objectives. The first study comprises a laboratory study that has the aims to determining good pre-set times of sitting and standing positions at a sit-stand table for office workers classified as overweight/obese. The second study comprises an intervention that will be conducted in real work settings and will investigate the effect of sit-stand table use during 6 months in office workers classified as overweight and obese type I. After the development of the studies, we will be able to clarify whether overweight/obese office work could potentially benefit from the use of sit-stand tables. These findings will help occupational health workers to provide and support the use of sit-stand tables as an alternative intervention for overweight/obese office workers in real work settings.

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BARBIERI, DECHRISTIAN FRANCA; BRUSACA, LUIZ AUGUSTO; MATHIASSEN, SVEND ERIK; OLIVEIRA, ANA BEATRIZ. Effects of Time in Sitting and Standing on Pleasantness, Acceptability, Fatigue, and Pain When Using a Sit-Stand Desk: An Experiment on Overweight and Normal-Weight Subjects. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & HEALTH, v. 17, n. 12, p. 1222-1230, DEC 2020. (19/02004-0, 18/06359-4)

BRUSACA, LUIZ AUGUSTO; BARBIERI, DECHRISTIAN FRANCA; MATHIASSEN, SVEND ERIK; HOLTERMANN, ANDREAS; OLIVEIRA, ANA BEATRIZ. Physical Behaviours in Brazilian Office Workers Working from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Compared to before the Pandemic: A Compositional Data Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH, v. 18, n. 12, JUN 2021. (19/02004-0, 19/25140-6, 18/06359-4)

BRUSACA, LUIZ AUGUSTO; BARBIERI, DECHRISTIAN FRANCA; BELTRAME, THOMAS; MILAN-MATTOS, JULIANA CRISTINA; CATAI, APARECIDA MARIA; OLIVEIRA, ANA BEATRIZ. Cardiac autonomic responses to different tasks in office workers with access to a sit-stand table - a study in real work setting. ERGONOMICS, v. 64, n. 3, p. 354-365, MAR 4 2021. (12/24502-2, 18/06359-4, 18/19016-8, 17/09639-5, 19/25140-6)

BARBIERI, DECHRISTIAN FRANCA; BRUSACA, LUIZ AUGUSTO; MATHIASSEN, SVEND ERIK; SRINIVASAN, DIVYA; OLIVEIRA, ANA BEATRIZ. Effects on variation in shoulder, forearm and low back muscle activity from combining seated computer work with other productive office tasks: results from a simulation study. ERGONOMICS, OCT 2021. (18/06359-4, 15/19504-4, 19/25140-6, 12/24502-2)