Assessing the Effects Of Treadmill On LPA, Sitting Time, and Cardiovascular Risk

The purpose of this study is to: 1. Evaluate the relative efficacy of a treadmill desk intervention on light physical activity and sitting behaviors at work over four weeks; 2. Evaluate the relative efficacy of a treadmill desk intervention on the cardiovascular risk profiles (blood pressure, body weight, body fat percentage) over a four-week period.

American workers spend 70-80% of their time at work sitting at a desk, working on a computer, talking on a telephone, and sitting in meetings. Traditional approaches to increase MVPA in the workplace may not be sustainable as they require deliberate and dedicated time away from work, and may be perceived as harmful to productivity. Sedentary behavior interventions, in contrast, do not interfere with daily tasks and productivity and require small but cumulative changes in posture and LPA throughout the workday. Sedentary behavior interventions in the worksite, including those conducted by our team, have shown promising effects. Studies that have used multi-level approaches targeting individual, social, and environmental factors have been most effective. The most robust environmental support has been the use of sit-stand workstations, providing distinct opportunities for workers to reduce sitting while maintaining productivity. However, treadmill desks may provide an even greater opportunity to both reduce sitting and increase LPA during the workday. Thus, a pilot study is required to test the efficacy of this approach to reduce sitting and increase LPA in the workplace.