Sitting too much: a hierarchy of socio-demographic correlates

Too much sitting (extended sedentary time) is recognized as a public health concern in Europe and beyond. Time spent sedentary is influenced and conditioned by clusters of individual-level and contextual (upstream) factors. Identifying population subgroups that sit too much could help to develop targeted interventions to reduce sedentary time. We explored the relative importance of socio-demographic correlates of sedentary time in adults across Europe. We used data from 26,617 adults who participated in the 2013 Special Eurobarometer 412 "Sport and physical activity". Participants from all 28 EU Member States were randomly selected and interviewed face-to-face. Self-reported sedentary time was dichotomized into sitting less or >7.5h/day. A Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) algorithm was used to create a tree that hierarchically partitions the data on the basis of the independent variables (i.e., socio-demographic factors) into homogeneous (sub)groups with regard to sedentary time. This allows for the tentative identification of population segments at risk for unhealthy sedentary behaviour. Overall, 18.5% of the respondents reported sitting >7.5h/day. Occupation was the primary discriminator. The subgroup most likely to engage in extensive sitting were higher educated, had white-collar jobs, reported no difficulties with paying bills, and used the internet frequently. Clear socio-demographic profiles were identified for adults across Europe who engage in extended sedentary time. Furthermore, physically active participants were consistently less likely to engage in longer daily sitting times. In general, those with more indicators of higher wealth were more likely to spend more time sitting

Macroeconomic, demographic and human developmental correlates of physical activity and sitting time among South American adults.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to investigate the association of macroeconomic, human development, and demographic factors with different domains of physical activity and sitting time among South American adults. METHODS: We used data from nationally representative samples in Argentina (n = 26,932), Brazil (n = 52,490), Chile (n = 3866), Colombia (n = 14,208), Ecuador (n = 19,883), Peru (n = 8820), and Uruguay (n = 2403). Our outcomes included leisure time (≥150 min/week), transport (≥10 min/week), occupational (≥10 min/week), and total (≥150 min/week) physical activity, as well as sitting time (≥4 h/day), which were collected through self-reported questionnaires. As exposures, gross domestic product, total population, population density, and human development index indicators from the most updated national census of each country were used. Age and education were used as covariates. Multilevel logistic regressions with harmonized random effect meta-analyses were conducted, comparing highest vs. lowest (reference) tertiles. RESULTS: Higher odds for transport physical activity were observed among the highest tertiles of total population (ORmen: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.23-1.62), ORwomen: 1.51; 95% CI:1.32-1.73), population density (ORmen: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.18-1.57, ORwomen: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.30-1.70), and gross domestic product (ORmen: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.00-1.35, ORwomen: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.20-1.61). For leisure physical activity, women living in departments with higher human development index presented 18% higher odds for being active, and for total physical activity a similar estimate in both sexes was observed among those who live in more populated areas. No consistent associations were found for occupational physical activity and sitting time. CONCLUSION: Macroeconomic, demographic and human development indicators are associated with different domains of physical activity in the South American context, which can in turn guide policies to promote physical activity in the region

Perspectives on a ‘Sit Less, Move More’ Intervention in Australian Emergency Call Centres

Background: Prolonged sitting is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases. Workplace programs that aim to reduce sitting time (sit less) and increase physical activity (move more) have targeted desk-based workers in corporate and university settings with promising results. However, little is known about 'move more, sit less' programs for workers in other types of jobs and industries, such as shift workers. This formative research examines the perceptions of a 'sit less, move more' program in an Australian Emergency Call Centre that operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  Methods: Participants were employees (N = 39, 72% female, 50% aged 36-55 years) recruited from Emergency Services control centres located in New South Wales, Australia. The 'sit less, move more' intervention, consisting of emails, posters and timer lights, was co-designed with the management team and tailored to the control centre environment and work practices, which already included electronic height-adjustable sit-stand workstations for all call centre staff. Participants reported their perceptions and experiences of the intervention in a self-report online questionnaire, and directly to the research team during regular site visits. Questionnaire topics included barriers and facilitators to standing while working, mental wellbeing, effects on work performance, and workplace satisfaction. Field notes and open-ended response data were analysed in an iterative process during and after data collection to identify the main themes.  Results: Whilst participants already had sit-stand workstations, use of the desks in the standing position varied and sometimes were contrary to expectations (e.g, less tired standing than sitting; standing when experiencing high call stress). Participants emphasised the "challenging" and "unrelenting" nature of their work. They reported sleep issues ("always tired"), work stress ("non-stop demands"), and feeling mentally and physically drained due to shift work and length of shifts. Overall, participants liked the initiative but acknowledged that their predominantly sitting habits were entrenched and work demands took precedence.  Conclusions: This study demonstrates the low acceptability of a 'sit less, move more' program in shift workers in high stress environments like emergency call centres. Work demands take priority and other health concerns, like poor sleep and high stress, may be more salient than the need to sit less and move more during work shifts

Considerations when using the activPAL monitor in field-based research with adult populations

Research indicates that high levels of sedentary behavior (sitting or lying with low energy expenditure) are adversely associated with health. A key factor in improving our understanding of the impact of sedentary behavior (and patterns of sedentary time accumulation) on health is the use of objective measurement tools that collect date and time-stamped activity information. One such tool is the activPAL monitor. This thigh-worn device uses accelerometer-derived information about thigh position to determine the start and end of each period spent sitting/lying, standing, and stepping, as well as stepping speed, step counts, and postural transitions. The activPAL is increasingly being used within field-based research for its ability to measure sitting/lying via posture. We summarise key issues to consider when using the activPAL in physical activity and sedentary behavior field-based research with adult populations. It is intended that the findings and discussion points be informative for researchers who are currently using activPAL monitors or are intending to use them. Pre-data collection decisions, monitor preparation and distribution, data collection considerations, and manual and automated data processing possibilities are presented using examples from current literature and experiences from 2 research groups from the UK and Australia

Medición de la actividad física y del sedentarismo en encuestas nacionales de salud en América del Sur

Objetivos. Describir cómo se han medido la actividad física y el sedentarismo en las encuestas nacionales de salud en los países de América del Sur. Métodos. Se llevó a cabo una extensa búsqueda de encuestas nacionales de salud de los doce países sudamericanos en sitios web de salud, oficinas nacionales de estadística y mediante el contacto con investigadores y responsables de formular políticas. Para escoger las encuestas se emplearon los siguientes criterios de selección: realizada en un país sudamericano; muestra representativa a nivel nacional de ≥ 18 años; coordinada por el sector público, el sector privado o mixto público-privado; y evaluación de la actividad física o el sedentarismo. Se extrajeron datos como información general de las encuestas, detalles específicos de la evaluación de la actividad física y el sedentarismo, y otras preguntas relacionadas con la actividad física. Resultados. En total, se incluyeron 36 encuestas, dos de las cuales se realizaron en varios países. Todas las encuestas evaluaron la actividad física; 27, el sedentarismo. La mayoría de las encuestas (23/36; 64%) tividad física mediante preguntas sobre el tiempo invertido delante de pantallas o el tiempo diario sentado. Ninguna encuesta aplicó medidas basadas en dispositivos para obtener datos sobre estos comportamientos. Conclusiones. Las diferencias entre los instrumentos empleados y las modificaciones limitan la comparabilidad de los datos en todos los países. Esto pone de relieve la importancia de estandarizar la evaluación en América del Sur de las secciones dedicadas a la actividad física y al sedentarismo en las encuestas nacionales, con el objetivo general de contribuir a la creación de una estrategia estandarizada para la vigilancia de la actividad física y el sedentarismo en América del Sur.Objectives. To characterize how physical activity and sedentary behavior have been measured in national health surveys in South American countries. Methods. An extensive search was made for national health surveys from all 12 South American countries through health websites, national statistical offices, and contact with researchers and policy-makers. The following eligibility criteria were used to select surveys: conducted in a South American country; used a nationally representative sample ≥ 18 years; coordinated by the public, private or mixed private-public sector; and assessed physical activity and/or sedentary behavior. Data were extracted on general information about the surveys, specific details about the physical activity and sedentary behavior assessment, and additional questions related to activity behavior. Results. In total, 36 surveys were included, two of which were multicountry surveys; all surveys assessed physical activity and 27 assessed sedentary behavior. Most surveys (23/36; 64%) were based on previously validated international questionnaires, but 13 (57%) of these deviated from the reference tools, introducing changes and adaptations. Sedentary behavior was assessed mostly through questions on screen time and/or daily sitting time in the same physical activity questionnaires. No survey used device-based measures to generate data on these behaviors. Conclusions. Differences between instruments used and modifications limit the comparability of data across countries. This highlights the importance of standardizing assessment within South America for physical activity and sedentary behavior sections in national surveys, with the broader aim of contributing to establishing a standardized strategy for the surveillance of physical activity and sedentary behavior in South America