AzTrials
AzTrials

Sedentary LifestyleNCT02825303

Mid-term Effect of a Novel Sit-to-stand Workplace (ACTIVE OFFICE) on Cognitive and Physiological Parameters

A study testing Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks in people with Sedentary Lifestyle and Worksite, run by University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria at 1 site in Austria.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases, diabetes, several types of cancer and all-cause mortality. In combination with static and awkward postures, the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases can increase further. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Sedentary Lifestyle, Worksite
What is being tested?
Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
18 participants
Where
1 siteAustria
Study dates
Jan 2014to Mar 2015
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 60 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Healthy Caucasian (no acute or chronic diseases)
  • Normal weight or slightly overweight (BMI: 18.5 - 27.5 kg/m²)
  • Regularly working in sedentary office environments
  • Regular computer users
  • Fluent German speakers
  • Consented to participate

Who cannot join

  • Heavily overweight \& Obesity (BMI > 27.5 kg/m²)
  • Short office stay duration (< 8 h / day or < 20 h / week)
  • Experience in sit-to-stand workstations
  • Acute or chronic diseases
  • Inability to stand
  • Visual impairments that had not been corrected
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Color blindness
  • People planning to change their physical activity level
  • Regular smokers (> 1 cigarette /day)
  • Not consented to participate

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Austria1 site
  • University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

    Linz, Upper Austria, 4020

Other trials in Austria

About this study

Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases, diabetes, several types of cancer and all-cause mortality. In combination with static and awkward postures, the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases can increase further. Although the implementation of sit-to-stand or active workstations can help to reduce sitting time, improve physical activity at work and promote health benefits, it might also lead to changes in cognitive functions such as productivity The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mid-term effect of a novel two desk sit-to-stand workplace on sitting time as well as physiological and cognitive parameters for healthy people of working age in comparison to their traditional workplace.

Read the detailed description

Measurements were made both in the field and in a laboratory. Field measurements were made and processed continuously over the 23-week intervention period. Laboratory measurements were made on two different days, one day prior to intervention, and one day following intervention (due to cross-over design, each subject underwent 4 total days of laboratory measurements). Field measurements were collected automatically at the participants' workstation in their working office.

Laboratory tests were conducted in a controlled, simulated work-space located at the University of Applied Sciences Campus Linz. All laboratory measurements were made in a controlled laboratory at the campus site Linz of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. Temperature, air flow, humidity, lighting conditions (artificial light only) and noise level were controlled and set to be consistent with the subjects' typical working environment.

During the laboratory measurements, subjects either stood or sat upright in an ergonomic office chair, according to the study protocol. Subjects were encouraged to work as fast and as accurately as they could. To ensure identical testing conditions between subjects and to not unduly influence physiological parameters such as salivary cortisol level or heart rate variability, subjects were required to minimize excessive movement (e.g. standing up during the sitting periods).

In the first (initial) phase, participants were familiarized with the study protocol. Sitting time and weekly physical activity were determined via the IPAQ-questionnaire. Examples of each cognitive test implemented in the cognitive phase were executed according to their guidelines. A 30 minute break in a sitting posture was used to ascertain baseline heart-rate and cortisol level. Baseline heart-rate was calculated after a 20 minute rest for a 5 minute interval and saliva samples were collected at the end (30min) of the break.

In the second (cognitive) phase subjects participated in a test battery containing five blocks. Each block consisted of a working speed test (text editing task), an attentional test (d2R-test of attention) and a reaction time test (Stroop-test). These tests lasted for 30 minutes to fulfill recommendations regarding postural changes. To simulate "common" working conditions (computer based and non-computer based tasks), digital (text editing task, Stroop-test) as well as pen \& paper (d2R-test) versions of the implemented tests were used. All blocks were executed in alternating postures (sit - stand - sit - stand - sit) and at the end of each block - after a 5 minute break - salivary samples were collected. The order of posture was not changed within groups or time.

In the third (final) phase participants were asked to estimate their workload by means of the NASA-TLX questionnaire followed by a 30 minute resting phase in a sitting posture. During both 30 min resting phases (initial \& final) participants watched documentaries and were encouraged not to talk.

Salivary samples were collected after each break during the study protocol and on the following morning, 20 minutes after waking up, to ascertain cortisol awakening response (CAR). Salivary samples were centrifuged and stored at -80 °C for subsequent testing using a chemiluminescent immunoassay.

Heart-rate and trunk movements were measured from the start of the study protocol until the CAR measurement.

Being tested
Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks
Keywords
postural changes, Height adjustable desk, Prolonged sitting, Cognitive performance
Medical subject headings
Sedentary Behavior

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desksOther

    Desk arrangements: self-determined by the participants Desk equipment: depending on pre-intervention condition - 1 or 2 screens per desk Build-up: one day prior to the intervention period at the location of the workplace Adjustment: together with the study leader

Study groups in NCT02825303
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Novel workplace - first halfExperimentalIntervention: A novel two-desk sit-to-stand workstation for 23 weeks; provided within the first half of the study. Traditional workstation within the second half of the study.
Receives: Other: Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks
Novel workplace - second halfExperimentalIntervention: A novel two-desk sit-to-stand workstation for 23 weeks; provided within the second half of the study. Traditional workstation within the frist half of the study.
Receives: Other: Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks
Control groupNo interventionControl group subjects did not encounter any changes in their regular office environments. Traditional workstation for both halves of the study.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Daily sitting time

    Changes in sitting time after 23 weeks in the experimental group compared with its own control period and the control group. Measuring methods: International Physical Activity Questionaire (IPAQ); self developed tracking software at the participants' workplace

    Measured: baseline and 23 weeks

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Cognitive performance (composite outcome)

    Changes in cognitive performance after 23 weeks in the experimental group compared with its own control period and the control group. Measuring methods: Digital color-word-conflict stroop test, d2R-test of attention, text editing task, NASA-TLX

    Measured: baseline and 23 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted7 Jul 2016 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2014
  3. Primary completionMar 2015
  4. Study completionMar 2015

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
18 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02825303
Sponsor's protocol ID
AO-8735-1
Other IDs
834185
Status last verified
Jul 2016
First submitted
4 Jul 2016
Last updated
15 Jul 2016
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: Data resulting from this study will be analyzed and published in the PIs' PhD-thesis and journal articles.

Publications

  • Neuhaus M, Healy GN, Dunstan DW, Owen N, Eakin EG. Workplace sitting and height-adjustable workstations: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Prev Med. 2014 Jan;46(1):30-40. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.09.009.

    PubMed 24355669
  • Commissaris DA, Konemann R, Hiemstra-van Mastrigt S, Burford EM, Botter J, Douwes M, Ellegast RP. Effects of a standing and three dynamic workstations on computer task performance and cognitive function tests. Appl Ergon. 2014 Nov;45(6):1570-8. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2014.05.003. Epub 2014 Jun 17.

    PubMed 24951234
  • Bates ME, Lemay EP Jr. The d2 Test of attention: construct validity and extensions in scoring techniques. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2004 May;10(3):392-400. doi: 10.1017/S135561770410307X.

    PubMed 15147597
  • Best JR, Nagamatsu LS, Liu-Ambrose T. Improvements to executive function during exercise training predict maintenance of physical activity over the following year. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014 May 27;8:353. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00353. eCollection 2014.

    PubMed 24904387
  • Hennig J, Friebe J, Ryl I, Kramer B, Bottcher J, Netter P. Upright posture influences salivary cortisol. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2000 Jan;25(1):69-83. doi: 10.1016/s0306-4530(99)00037-2.

    PubMed 10633536
  • Van der Elst W, Van Boxtel MP, Van Breukelen GJ, Jolles J. The Stroop color-word test: influence of age, sex, and education; and normative data for a large sample across the adult age range. Assessment. 2006 Mar;13(1):62-79. doi: 10.1177/1073191105283427.

    PubMed 16443719
  • Lynch BM. Sedentary behavior and cancer: a systematic review of the literature and proposed biological mechanisms. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Nov;19(11):2691-709. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0815. Epub 2010 Sep 10.

    PubMed 20833969
  • Owen N, Sparling PB, Healy GN, Dunstan DW, Matthews CE. Sedentary behavior: emerging evidence for a new health risk. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010 Dec;85(12):1138-41. doi: 10.4065/mcp.2010.0444. No abstract available.

    PubMed 21123641
  • Brown WJ, Miller YD, Miller R. Sitting time and work patterns as indicators of overweight and obesity in Australian adults. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Nov;27(11):1340-6. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802426.

    PubMed 14574344
  • Schwartz B, Kapellusch JM, Baca A, Wessner B. Medium-term effects of a two-desk sit/stand workstation on cognitive performance and workload for healthy people performing sedentary work: a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Ergonomics. 2019 Jun;62(6):794-810. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2019.1577497. Epub 2019 Apr 7.

    PubMed 30762479
  • Schwartz B, Kapellusch JM, Schrempf A, Probst K, Haller M, Baca A. Effect of a novel two-desk sit-to-stand workplace (ACTIVE OFFICE) on sitting time, performance and physiological parameters: protocol for a randomized control trial. BMC Public Health. 2016 Jul 15;16:578. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3271-y.

    PubMed 27422158

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Workplace consisting of two height-adjustable desks in people with Sedentary Lifestyle and Worksite, run by University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria at 1 site in Austria.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Jul 2016. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Austria. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Daily sitting time (time frame: baseline and 23 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02825303, which also lists 11 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Jul 2016.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in