The impact of height-adjustable desks and prompts to break-up classroom sitting on adolescents' energy expenditure, adiposity markers and perceived musculoskeletal discomfort

PLoS One. 2018 Sep 20;13(9):e0203938. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203938. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Adolescents spend large amounts of time sitting at school. Little is known about the impact of reducing and breaking-up prolonged sitting during school lessons on adolescents' health. This study aimed to investigate the impact of an intervention to reduce classroom sitting time on adolescents' energy expenditure (EE; kcal/lesson), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and musculoskeletal discomfort. A secondary school classroom was equipped with height-adjustable desks, posters promoting the health benefits of and strategies for breaking-up sitting time, and desk stickers reminding students to periodically stand up. Classroom teachers participated in a professional development session. Using a quasi-experimental design, differences between 49 participants who utilised the intervention classroom 2-5 times/week and a comparison group (39 adolescents, matched by year level and subject) who used traditional classrooms, were examined. EE, BMI and WC were objectively measured and musculoskeletal discomfort was self-reported at baseline, 4-weeks, and 17-weeks. Hierarchical linear and multilevel logistic regression-mixed models were used to examine intervention effects, adjusting for baseline values, sex and age. EE was significantly higher at 4-weeks and 17-weeks (29.4 and 37.7 kcal/lesson, respectively), BMI was higher at 4-weeks (0.34 kg/m2), and WC was lower at 4-weeks and 17-weeks (-3.53 and -2.64 cm, respectively) in the intervention compared to the comparison group. No intervention effect was found for musculoskeletal discomfort. Findings provide preliminary indications that these strategies may benefit health among adolescents in the short term. However, extended longer-duration trials are needed to determine longer-term health effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiposity / physiology*
  • Adolescent
  • Energy Metabolism / physiology*
  • Exercise / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Obesity / prevention & control
  • Posture / physiology*
  • Schools*
  • Sedentary Behavior
  • Sitting Position*
  • Students*

Grants and funding

This study was funded by Deakin University, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences seed funding (2015). AMCA is supported by Deakin University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (DUPRS), http://www.deakin.edu.au/courses/scholarships/find-a-scholarship/rtp-and-duprs. BS was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Centre of Research Excellence (APP1057608), https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants-funding/apply-funding/centres-research-excellence-cre. JS was supported by a National Health and Medical Research (NHMRC) Principal Research Fellowship (APP1026216) during this research, https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants-funding/apply-funding/research-fellowships. DWD is supported by a National Health and Medical Research (NHMRC) Senior Research Fellowship (APP1078360) and the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program. LA is supported by an Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/support-for-researchers/find-funding/deakin-university-funding/adprf. AT and NDR are supported by a National Heart Foundation of Australia Future Leader Fellowship (Award ID 100046 and ID 101895, respectively), https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/research/apply-for-funding/future-leader-fellowships. JS, DWD and AT received funding support from a National Health and Medical Research (NHMRC) Centre for Research Excellence Grant (APP1057608).