Stand up, stand out. Feasibility of an active break targeting prolonged sitting in university students

J Am Coll Health. 2022 Oct;70(7):2237-2243. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2020.1847119. Epub 2020 Dec 10.

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of an active break designed to disrupt prolonged sitting in university students. Participants: Students attending lectures in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Methods: Participants took part in an active break, which consisted of following a short exercise video lasting ∼4 min. They then completed a validated questionnaire consisting of 12 statements with two open-ended questions capturing likes/dislikes. Results: Overall 106 (response rate 96%) predominately female (83%, n = 87), health sciences students (91%, n = 96) participated. Percentage agreement ranged from 93.4% (n = 99) to 96.2% (n = 102) for acceptability, 84.9% (n = 90) to 93.4% (n = 99) for appropriateness, and 80.2% (n = 85) to 96.2% (n = 102) for feasibility. Space constraints and warm temperatures impacted negatively. Conclusion: An active break delivered during lectures is an acceptable and feasible intervention to disrupt sitting in students. Further investigation using a broader representation of the university population is needed prior to implementation.

Keywords: Active break; exercise; sedentary behavior; sitting; students.

MeSH terms

  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Sedentary Behavior*
  • Sitting Position*
  • Students
  • Universities