Sitting Breaks for Sedentary Lifestyle

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Must not be taking: Insulin, Glucose lowering

Disqualifiers: Cardiac symptoms, Dizziness, Insulin dependence, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

Duration: 8 weeks

40 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are on insulin or any glucose-lowering medication.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Strength Breaks, Walk Breaks for reducing sedentary lifestyle?

Research shows that breaking up sitting time with activities like standing or walking can reduce discomfort, fatigue, and sleepiness. Interventions that focus on reducing sedentary behavior, especially those involving environmental changes and self-monitoring, have been found to be promising in decreasing sitting time. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is taking breaks from sitting safe for humans?

Research on physical activity interventions, including taking breaks from sitting, shows that they are generally safe for humans. While minor injuries like muscle strains can occur, no serious adverse events have been reported in studies involving diverse populations. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does the treatment 'Sitting Breaks for Sedentary Lifestyle' differ from other treatments for sedentary behavior?

This treatment is unique because it focuses on reducing sedentary behavior by encouraging frequent short breaks, such as standing or walking, during long periods of sitting. Unlike traditional approaches that emphasize increasing high-intensity physical activity, this method targets the health risks associated with prolonged sitting by promoting simple, easy-to-implement 'activity snacks' to break up sitting time. ^{1 11 12 13 14}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study investigates the benefits of two different types of 2 minute activity breaks during sedentary workdays for people who sit for long periods of time in sedentary jobs.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for over-30s with sedentary jobs who can safely do squats and lunges, aren't on a strength program or taking work breaks for activity, have a smartphone, speak English, and are not on insulin/glucose-lowering meds. Those with certain health risks or in other studies can't join.

Inclusion Criteria

My job involves mostly sitting, like office work.

Able to safely perform bodyweight squats and lunges

Not currently doing a strength training program

Exclusion Criteria

Yes to any of the physical activity readiness criteria questionnaire (e.g. cardiac symptoms with increasing heart rate, dizziness upon performing exercise)

Participating in another research study on diet, weight loss, or any physical activity

If their doctor has ever said to not strength train

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

In-person strength assessments and baseline measurements including oral glucose tolerance tests, diet tracking, and genome with saliva

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants engage in 2-minute activity breaks (either strength or walk snacks) 4 times per day for 8 weeks

8 weeks

Daily tracking

Follow-up

Post-intervention assessments including strength, endurance, glucose monitoring, and diet tracking

1 week

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Strength Breaks
• Walk Breaks

Trial Overview The study compares two types of 2-minute breaks from sitting during the workday: 'Strength Breaks' involving bodyweight exercises like squats and lunges versus 'Walk Breaks' where participants simply walk around.

Participant Groups

Group I: Strength Snacks Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will do 4 strength snacks throughout each work day, 2 of them post-prandial if possible.

Group II: Walk Snacks Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will take 4 x2 minute walk breaks throughout the sedentary workday, two of them post-prandial if possible.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Findings from Research

A review of 26 studies found that interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behavior in adults were categorized as very promising (39%), quite promising (21%), and non-promising (39%), with worksite-based interventions being the most common.

The most effective strategies included environmental restructuring and self-monitoring techniques, suggesting that future interventions should focus on modifying environments and enhancing self-regulatory skills to reduce sedentary behavior.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How to reduce sitting time? A review of behaviour change strategies used in sedentary behaviour reduction interventions among adults. Gardner, B., Smith, L., Lorencatto, F., et al.[2023]

In a review of over 5,500 participants from 11 physical activity interventions, no serious study-related adverse events were reported, indicating a high level of safety in these exercise programs.

While minor musculoskeletal injuries were noted, the studies emphasized a 'start low and go slow' approach, suggesting that moderate-intensity physical activity is safe and effective for sedentary, chronically ill, or older populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Screening, safety, and adverse events in physical activity interventions: collaborative experiences from the behavior change consortium. Ory, M., Resnick, B., Jordan, PJ., et al.[2022]

Researchers in resistance training studies often lack clear guidance and motivation for thorough adverse event (AE) reporting, which can lead to inconsistent practices.

There is a need for exercise-specific guidelines for AE reporting, as current standards are perceived as not applicable to exercise trials, highlighting the importance of tailored strategies to improve reporting consistency.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Researchers' perspectives on adverse event reporting in resistance training trials: a qualitative study. El-Kotob, R., Pagcanlungan, JR., Craven, BC., et al.[2022]

In a study of 317 office workers, longer defined break durations led to fewer sit-to-stand transitions and increased prolonged sitting periods, indicating that how breaks are defined can significantly impact sitting behavior.

While total sitting time remained unchanged regardless of break length, the findings suggest a need for a standardized definition of break duration to improve comparisons across studies on sedentary behavior.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How Does Definition of Minimum Break Length Affect Objective Measures of Sitting Outcomes Among Office Workers? Kloster, S., Danquah, IH., Holtermann, A., et al.[2018]

In a review of 121 trials involving 6700 older adults, most adverse events related to progressive resistance strength training were musculoskeletal issues like muscle strains and joint pain, particularly in participants with pre-existing health conditions or those engaging in high-intensity training.

Adverse events were often underreported, highlighting the need for clearer definitions and consistent reporting in future studies to better inform practitioners about the risks and benefits of strength training in older adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events reported in progressive resistance strength training trials in older adults: 2 sides of a coin. Liu, CJ., Latham, N.[2010]

Excessive sedentary behavior, which accounts for 50-70% of waking hours, is an independent risk factor for various health issues, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems.

Taking short breaks to walk during prolonged sitting can help mitigate the negative health effects of sedentary behavior, making it important to reduce overall sitting time or incorporate 'activity snacks' throughout the day.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE PERCEPTION OF HEALTH MAINTENANCE FROM INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO DECREASING PHYSICAL INACTIVITY]. Rotman, D., Constantini, N.[2018]

In a study of 727 adults, it was found that on average, people had 55 interruptions in their sitting time each day, but only about 20 of these were considered 'active' (involving at least 5 minutes of standing or 2 minutes of stepping).

Older adults, those with obesity, and individuals with diabetes had significantly fewer interruptions and less stepping time during active interruptions, suggesting that these groups may be less physically active in their daily routines.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Descriptive Epidemiology of Interruptions to Free-Living Sitting Time in Middle-Age and Older Adults. Blankenship, JM., Winkler, EAH., Healy, GN., et al.[2023]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How to reduce sitting time? A review of behaviour change strategies used in sedentary behaviour reduction interventions among adults. [2023]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions to reduce sedentary behavior among older adults. [2021]

3. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Interventions targeting sedentary behavior in non-working older adults: a systematic review. [2023]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A systematic review of evidence for older adults' sedentary behavior and physical activity after hip fracture. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acceptability and Impact of Office-Based Resistance Exercise Breaks. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Screening, safety, and adverse events in physical activity interventions: collaborative experiences from the behavior change consortium. [2022]

7. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Researchers' perspectives on adverse event reporting in resistance training trials: a qualitative study. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How Does Definition of Minimum Break Length Affect Objective Measures of Sitting Outcomes Among Office Workers? [2018]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Is the time right for quantitative public health guidelines on sitting? A narrative review of sedentary behaviour research paradigms and findings. [2020]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events reported in progressive resistance strength training trials in older adults: 2 sides of a coin. [2010]

11. Israel pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE PERCEPTION OF HEALTH MAINTENANCE FROM INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO DECREASING PHYSICAL INACTIVITY]. [2018]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Descriptive Epidemiology of Interruptions to Free-Living Sitting Time in Middle-Age and Older Adults. [2023]

13. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Acute Effects of Single or Repeated Bouts of Vigorous-Intensity Exercise on Insulin and Glucose Metabolism during Postprandial Sedentary Behavior. [2022]

14. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Interrupting long periods of sitting: good STUFF. [2022]