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Trial registered on ANZCTR


Registration number
ACTRN12612000743864
Ethics application status
Approved
Date submitted
9/07/2012
Date registered
12/07/2012
Date last updated
14/04/2016
Type of registration
Retrospectively registered

Titles & IDs
Public title
Can a participatory workplace intervention improve sedentary behaviour and physical activity in office workers?
Scientific title
In office workers, is a participatory workplace intervention focussed on work tasks more effective than participatory workplace interventions focussed on discretionary time or workstation ergonomics in reducing sustained sedentary time and increasing physical activity?
Secondary ID [1] 280809 0
Nil
Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Trial acronym
Linked study record

Health condition
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied:
Sedentary behaviour 286868 0
Condition category
Condition code
Public Health 287194 287194 0 0
Health promotion/education

Intervention/exposure
Study type
Interventional
Description of intervention(s) / exposure
All participants will be involved in one of three workplace based interventions of 12 weeks duration. Prior to the intervention participants will attend 2 structured workplace meetings each of 45-60 minutes duration with the members of their intervention group. At the first meeting, the participants will be presented with information on the important health implications of office work and discuss potential changes they could make around the focus of their intervention. At the second meeting, approximately 2 weeks after the first meeting, participants will discuss ideas for change, develop the strategies and rate their ease of implementation and likely effect, again with the assistance of a facilitator. Work groups will then be given 4-6 weeks to organise the implementation of their chosen strategies including getting organisational approval. At this point the 12 week intervention period will be deemed to have begun. There will be 2 intervention groups and an 'active' control group which will develop interventions in line with their focus as listed below:

(1) Work task modification focus to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase physical activity. For example, provision of an ‘active workstation’ which is an electronic height adjustable desk that is connected to a treadmill or exercise bike enabling participants to ‘walk and work’. Other interventions may include changing default printers to a more distant location or walking to communicate with colleagues rather than emailing - to encourage incidental activity during work tasks in the workplace.

(2) Discretionary time focus to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase physical activity. For example walking during work breaks (lunch/coffee) and before and after work. Participants in this group may be provided with a pedometer for use in a ‘steps challenge’. Other interventions may include promotion of active transport, groups exercise classes or lunchtime walking groups.

(3) 'Active' control focussed on office workstation ergonomics review and modification. For example, revision of workstation set up and the introduction to ‘active sitting’, a sitting technique that encourages trunk muscle activity while sitting. Participants may be provided with an ‘air cushion’ that facilitates active sitting.
Intervention code [1] 285238 0
Prevention
Intervention code [2] 285256 0
Behaviour
Comparator / control treatment
'Active' control focussed on office workstation ergonomics review and modification. For example, revision of workstation set up and the introduction to ‘active sitting’, a sitting technique that encourages trunk muscle activity while sitting. Participants may be provided with an ‘air cushion’ that facilitates active sitting.
Control group
Active

Outcomes
Primary outcome [1] 287484 0
Total sedentary time assessed with Actigraph triaxial accelerometer worn at waist level for 7 days. Accelerometry data assesses the duration and intensity of physical activity on work days and weekend days and during work time and outside of work time.
Timepoint [1] 287484 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Primary outcome [2] 287485 0
Sustained sedentary time (periods of uninterupted sedentary time of greater than 30 minutes) assessed with Actigraph triaxial accelerometer worn at waist level for 7 days. Accelerometry data assesses the duration and intensity of physical activityon work days and weekend days and during work time and outside of work time.
Timepoint [2] 287485 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [1] 298267 0
Total light activity time assessed with Actigraph triaxial accelerometer worn at waist level for 7 days. Accelerometry data assesses the duration and intensity of physical activity on work days and weekend days and during work time and outside of work time.
Timepoint [1] 298267 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [2] 298268 0
Frequency of breaks in sedentary time assessed with Actigraph triaxial accelerometer worn at waist level for 7 days. Accelerometry data assesses the duration and intensity of physical activity on work days and weekend days and during work time and outside of work time.
Timepoint [2] 298268 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [3] 298269 0
Self reported sitting time assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (Craig et al, 2003)
Timepoint [3] 298269 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [4] 298270 0
Self reported physical activity time assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (Craig et al, 2003)
Timepoint [4] 298270 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [5] 298271 0
Self reported musculoskeletal pain assessed by modified Nordic musculoskeletal pain questionnaire (Kuorinka et al, 1987)
Timepoint [5] 298271 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [6] 298272 0
Self reported job satisfaction modified Job Satisfaction Survey (Warr, 1990)
Timepoint [6] 298272 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [7] 298273 0
Readiness for physical activity self assessed by readiness for physical activity questionnaire which categorises subjects into stages of change categories (Precontemplation, Contemplation, Action and Maintenance)(Marcus et al, 1992)
Timepoint [7] 298273 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [8] 298274 0
Self reported health and productivity modified World Health Organisation Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ) (Kessler et al, 2003)
Timepoint [8] 298274 0
Before intervention, during last week of 12 week intervention period and 3 months post intervention period
Secondary outcome [9] 298275 0
Qualitative feedback about the success and barriers to the intervention - tailored feedback form
Timepoint [9] 298275 0
Last week of intervention period and 3 months post intervention

Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
Office based workers working 4 or more days per week, for 6 or more hours each work day
Minimum age
18 Years
Maximum age
No limit
Sex
Both males and females
Can healthy volunteers participate?
Yes
Key exclusion criteria
Physical or psychological impairments that would interfere with their ability to participate in the trial, for example being wheelchair bound

Study design
Purpose of the study
Prevention
Allocation to intervention
Randomised controlled trial
Procedure for enrolling a subject and allocating the treatment (allocation concealment procedures)
Participants in each organisation will be divided into 3 groups based on the physical location of the teams that they work in. Each group within the workplace will be randomly allocated (sealed envelope) into one of the intervention groups or the control group
Methods used to generate the sequence in which subjects will be randomised (sequence generation)
Randomisation will be to one of the 3 interventions (2 focussed on physical activity, 1 'active' control focussed on workstation ergonomics). Simple randomisation sequence will therefore be used as only only 3 options are required. Sealed envelopes will be drawn from a box at each organisation.
Masking / blinding
Open (masking not used)
Who is / are masked / blinded?



Intervention assignment
Parallel
Other design features
Clustered randomised and controlled trial - where three physically separated groups of workers in each participating organisation will be randomised to the intervention and control groups.
Phase
Not Applicable
Type of endpoint/s
Efficacy
Statistical methods / analysis

Recruitment
Recruitment status
Completed
Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
1/02/2010
Actual
21/04/2010
Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
Actual
24/08/2011
Date of last data collection
Anticipated
Actual
Sample size
Target
120
Accrual to date
Final
62
Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
WA

Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1] 285605 0
University
Name [1] 285605 0
Curtin University
Country [1] 285605 0
Australia
Primary sponsor type
University
Name
Curtin University
Address
GPO Box U1987
Perth
WA 6845
Country
Australia
Secondary sponsor category [1] 284436 0
None
Name [1] 284436 0
Address [1] 284436 0
Country [1] 284436 0
Other collaborator category [1] 276922 0
University
Name [1] 276922 0
The University of Queensland
Address [1] 276922 0
St Lucia
Brisbane
Qld 4072
Country [1] 276922 0
Australia

Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Approved
Ethics committee name [1] 287604 0
Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee
Ethics committee address [1] 287604 0
Curtin University
GPO Box U1987
Perth Wa 6845
Ethics committee country [1] 287604 0
Australia
Date submitted for ethics approval [1] 287604 0
Approval date [1] 287604 0
01/06/2007
Ethics approval number [1] 287604 0
HR20/2007

Summary
Brief summary
Physical inactivity is one of the major causes of many chronic preventable diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There is a growing understanding that low energy activity or sedentary behaviour and breaks in sedentary time are also independently linked to cardiometabolic risk factors. Furthermore, in the “technological” age, occupational physical activity has reduced. Currently, it is estimated that office workers spend approximately 75% of their working hours sedentary (sitting) and are therefore at risk of many of the adverse health consequences associated with prolonged sedentary behaviour. Workplace activity intervention programmes have focussed on increasing moderate/vigorous physical activity typically by encouraging walking before and after work or during breaks. To date, there is no research that has examined the effect of modifying office work to incorporate short bouts of light intensity physical activity and encouraging breaks in sedentary behaviour.
Aims
1) To assess if a participatory work-based programme to encourage incidental and light intensity physical activity can reduce sedentary time of office workers
2) To assess if a participatory work task focussed intervention to promote reduced sustained sedentary time and increased incidental activity is more effective at reducing sedentary time than interventions focussed on physical activity in discretionary time or an office workstation ergonomics intervention
3) To assess if changes that result from a participatory work-based intervention programme are sustained 3 months following the intervention
4) To determine if there is a relationship between participatory workplace health programmes and musculoskeletal pain and job satisfaction
Trial website
Trial related presentations / publications
Parry, S., Straker, L., Gilson, N., & Smith, A. (2013). Participatory workplace programmes can reduce sedentary time for office workers - a randomised controlled trial. PlosOne, 8, e78957.
Public notes

Contacts
Principal investigator
Name 34416 0
Prof Leon Straker
Address 34416 0
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
Curtin University
GPO Box U1987
Perth, WA 6845
Country 34416 0
Australia
Phone 34416 0
+61 8 9266 3634
Fax 34416 0
Email 34416 0
L.Straker@curtin.edu.au
Contact person for public queries
Name 17663 0
Prof Professor Leon Straker
Address 17663 0
School of Physiotherapy
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth WA 6845
Country 17663 0
Australia
Phone 17663 0
+61 8 9266 3634
Fax 17663 0
+61 8 9266 3699
Email 17663 0
L.Straker@curtin.edu.au
Contact person for scientific queries
Name 8591 0
Prof Professor Leon Straker
Address 8591 0
School of Physiotherapy
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth WA 6845
Country 8591 0
Australia
Phone 8591 0
+61 8 9266 3634
Fax 8591 0
+61 8 9266 3699
Email 8591 0
L.Straker@curtin.edu.au

No information has been provided regarding IPD availability


What supporting documents are/will be available?

No Supporting Document Provided



Results publications and other study-related documents

Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.

Documents added automatically
SourceTitleYear of PublicationDOI
EmbaseParticipatory workplace interventions can reduce sedentary time for office workers - A randomised controlled trial.2013https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0078957
N.B. These documents automatically identified may not have been verified by the study sponsor.