Effect of Work-Related Sedentary Time on Overall Health Profile in Active vs. Inactive Office Workers

Objective: While public health strategies are developed to fight sedentary behaviors and promote physical activity, some professional activities, and especially tertiary ones, have been pointed out for their highly sedentary nature. Although workplace physical activity programs are increasingly proposed by companies to their employees in order to increase their physical activity levels, sitting and screen time remain extremely high. The main aim of this work was to compare health indicators between active and inactive tertiary employees with similar high levels of sedentariness. Secondly, we questioned the effects of a 5-month workplace physical activity program on overall health indicators among initially active and inactive tertiary employees.Methods: Anthropometric measurements, body composition (bio-impedance), physical fitness (cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness) and health-related quality of life and perception of health status (self-reported questionnaires) were assessed among 193 active and inactive tertiary employees before (T0) and after a 5-month workplace physical activity intervention (T1), composed of 2 physical sessions per week.Results: Significant improvements were found in performance of push-ups (p < 0.001), back muscle strength (p < 0.001) fat mass (p < 0.01) and waist circumference (p < 0.05) in active compared with inactive employees both at baseline and at the end of the program. Health perception (p < 0.001) was significantly different between groups at T0 but not at T1. However, no significant difference was observed for fat-free mass, BMI, workplace well-being and lower and upper limbs muscle strength. The variations between T0 and T1 demonstrate that, while all the studied parameters progressed positively during the 5-month program, health perception (p < 0.001), back muscle strength (p < 0.05) and BMI (tendency) showed a significantly higher progression in the inactive compared with the active group.Conclusion: Health indicators might not be improved among active tertiary employees compared with inactive ones, which might be due to the high level of sedentariness characterizing their occupational task.Structured on-site physical activity programs can improve health in both initially active and inactive employees

The multinational second Diabetes, Attitudes, Wishes and Needs study: results of the French survey

International audienceAIM:The second Diabetes, Attitudes, Wishes and Needs (DAWN2™) multinational cross-sectional study was aimed at generating insights to facilitate innovative efforts by people with diabetes (PWD), family members (FMs), and health care professionals (HCPs) to improve self-management and psychosocial support in diabetes. Here, the French data from the DAWN2™ study are described.METHODS:In France, 500 PWD (80 with type 1 diabetes [T1] and 420 with type 2 diabetes [T2]), 120 FMs, and 288 HCPs were recruited. The questionnaires assessed the impact of diabetes on quality of life and mood, self-management, attitudes/beliefs, and care/support.RESULTS:Diabetes negatively impacted the emotional well-being of 59% of people with T1 versus 45% of people with T2 (P<0.05) and about half of FMs. A high level of distress was felt by about half of PWD and FMs. About half of HCPs reported assessing depression in their patients. Sixty-two percent of FMs considered managing diabetes to be a burden. Hypoglycemia was a source of concern for 64% of people with T1 and 73% of FMs of insulin users. About two-thirds of non-insulin-medicated people with T2 agreed to start insulin if prescribed, while half of HCPs preferred to delay insulin initiation. A discrepancy between HCPs' perceptions of their interactions with their patients and PWD's recollection of these interactions with regard to patients' personal needs and distress was also observed.CONCLUSION:While distress remains under-assessed by HCPs, the negative impact of diabetes on the lives of PWD and FMs clearly induces distress on both groups. These findings provide new understanding of barriers precluding optimal management of diabetes. Developing strategies to overcome these barriers is now warranted

How to measure sedentary behavior at work?

Background: Prolonged sedentary behavior (SB) is associated with increased risk for chronic conditions. A growing number of the workforce is employed in office setting with high occupational exposure to SB. There is a new focus in assessing, understanding and reducing SB in the workplace. There are many subjective (questionnaires) and objective methods (monitoring with wearable devices) available to determine SB. Therefore, we aimed to provide a global understanding on methods currently used for SB assessment at work.Methods: We carried out a systematic review on methods to measure SB at work. Pubmed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 1st January 2000 and 17th March 2019.Results: We included 154 articles: 89 were cross-sectional and 65 were longitudinal studies, for a total of 474,091 participants. SB was assessed by self-reported questionnaires in 91 studies, by wearables devices in also 91 studies, and simultaneously by a questionnaire and wearables devices in 30 studies. Among the 91 studies using wearable devices, 73 studies used only one device, 15 studies used several devices, and three studies used complex physiological systems. Studies exploring SB on a large sample used significantly more only questionnaires and/or one wearable device.Conclusions: Available questionnaires are the most accessible method for studies on large population with a limited budget. For smaller groups, SB at work can be objectively measured with wearable devices (accelerometers, heart-rate monitors, pressure meters, goniometers, electromyography meters, gas-meters) and the results can be associated and compared with a subjective measure (questionnaire). The number of devices worn can increase the accuracy but make the analysis more complex and time consuming

Health and Fitness Benefits But Low Adherence Rate

Objective:The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a 10-month structured physical activity intervention implemented within the workplace on overall health indicators among tertiary (office workers) employees.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 224 employees followed a 10-month worksite physical activity program. Overall health was assessed at baseline, after 5 months, and by the end of the intervention.Results: Fat mass percentage decreased significantly. There was a time effect favoring push-ups, abdominal strength, flexibility, heart rate postexercise, heart rate +30 seconds, and heart rate +60 seconds postexercise. Anxiety, depression, and eating habits also improved. In total, 45% of participants completed the whole intervention. Conclusion: Although a structured on-site physical activity program supports improved health indicators, adherence remains a concern and requires specialists to develop new strategies

Physical Activity, Inactivity, and Sedentary Behaviors: Definitions and Implications in Occupational Health

Physical Activity, Inactivity, and Sedentary Behaviors: Definitions and Implications in Occupational Healt

Effect of Work-Related Sedentary Time on Overall Health Profile in Active vs. Inactive Office Workers

Effect of Work-Related Sedentary Time on Overall Health Profile in Active vs. Inactive Office Worker

Lean adolescents achieve higher intensities but not higher energy expenditure while playing active video games compared with obese ones

The authors want to thank the Danone Institute for their support through their 2012 Research Grant. We also thank the Dr Beatrice Morio for their help and encouragements to initiate this workBackgroundWhile decreased physical activity and increased sedentary behaviours are incriminated for their role in the progression of obesity, active video games (AVG) may offer a new alternative to increase energy expenditure in youth. This study is the first to examine the effect of a 1-h AVG play on lean and obese adolescents' energy expenditure. MethodsBody composition and aerobic fitness were assessed in 19 obese and 12 lean adolescent boys (12-15 years old). Participants performed a 1-h AVG session (Kinect Sports technology) while wearing a portable indirect calorimeter (K4b2) to assess their energy expenditure and heart rate. ResultsBody weight (91.09.5 vs. 58.5 +/- 12.4kg), body mass index (32.2 +/- 3.1 vs. 20.3 +/- 1.6kgm(-2)) and body fat (38.1 +/- 2.7 vs. 13.4 +/- 3.9%) were significantly higher in obese adolescents (P<0.001). Absolute energy expenditure was significantly higher in obese (P<0.05) but not when corrected for body composition. Maximal heart rate reached during AVG was significantly higher in lean adolescents (190 +/- 25 vs. 183 +/- 28bpm, P<0.05). Time spent between 3 and 6 METs (Metabolic Equivalent Task) was not different between groups but time spent above 6 METs was higher in lean adolescents (P<0.05). ConclusionAlthough lean and obese adolescent boys experienced similar energy expenditure relative to their body size during a 1-h Kinect AVG session, lean adolescents spent more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activit