Do Sit-Stand Tables Affect Physical Behavior and Body Composition Similarly in Normal-Weight and Overweight Office Workers? A Pilot Study

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS

Sedentary behavior is a significant health concern among office workers. We completed the same 6-month sit-stand table intervention at work for groups of normal-weight and overweight workers, and compared it to not having sit-stand tables. The intervention caused the intended decrease in sitting time in both groups and a corresponding increase in standing. We did not find compensation effects on physical behavior outside of work. Furthermore, the intervention did not change the composition of fat, lean, and bone mass in either group. Thus, strategies including initiatives to increase physical activity are likely needed to have effects on body composition; and an intervention needs to be sustained for longer than six months for any changes in body composition to be observed.

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT

Background: A sit-stand table (SST) at work may help office workers shorten and break up sitting by periods of standing. However, it is not clear whether SST use influences sitting at and outside work to similar extents among normal-weight and overweight office workers, and whether it can change body composition. Purpose: To investigate if introducing SSTs affects physical behavior and body composition similarly in normal-weight and overweight office workers. Methods: In this pilot intervention study, physical behavior and body composition were evaluated and compared between normal-weight (n = 8) and overweight (n = 14) office workers, both before and after using an SST for 6 months. Time spent sitting, standing, and moving was recorded using a triaxial thigh accelerometer during work and leisure. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine fat, lean, and bone mass. Physical behavior and body composition data were both processed using compositional data analysis. Results: The intervention was similarly effective for normal weight and overweight workers in changing physical behavior during work, mainly by reducing sitting time and increasing standing time, while no effects were seen during leisure. We found no effect of the intervention on body composition. Conclusion: A sit-stand table intervention for 6 months changed physical behaviors at work to a similar extent among normal weight and overweight office workers. No compensatory behaviors were observed during leisure, and the intervention had no significant effects on body composition.

Keywords:

• Sedentary behavior
• compositional data analysis
• DXA

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation [FAPESP—Grants 2018/06359-4 and 2019/25140-6].