Using technology to increase physical activity at work
This is an excerpt from Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription, Eighth Edition, by Ann L. Gibson, PhD, Dale R. Wagner, PhD, and Vivian Heyward, PhD.
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Active workstations (e.g., treadmill desks or pedal desks) and adjustable-height work surfaces that allow employees to stand (sit-stand desks) are becoming more commonplace. They provide a means to reduce prolonged periods of sitting. Some employees have their own active workstations, while others have access to one located in a common area. A recent review of studies about active workstations (Cao et al. 2016) indicates that the calories burned may increase two- to fourfold for employees who change from sitting in a chair (~70-90 kcal·h−1) to active workstations. Additionally, daily step counts and physical activity (min/day) increase dramatically for those using active workstations during the workday. Crandall and colleagues (2016) found that using sit-stand workstations reduces sitting time by approximately 85 min/day. They also reported that employees using a shared treadmill desk accumulate slightly fewer than 9,000 steps·day−1 while at work. Ongoing longitudinal research in this area may identify long-term effects of using active workstations on employee health. Currently, these effects are not well documented.
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