There is no conflict of interest.
Citation
Arguello, D., Thorndike, A. N., Cloutier, G., Morton, A., Castaneda-Sceppa, C., & John, D. (2021). Effects of an “Active-Workstation” Cluster RCT on Daily Waking Physical Behaviors. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 53(7), 1434-1445.
https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000002594 [Treadmill desk group vs. Control]
Highlights
- The study's objective was to examine the impact of active workstations on total sedentary behavior for office workers who were overweight or obese. This profile focuses on the comparison between the group receiving a treadmill desk and the control group. The authors investigated similar research questions for another contrast, the profile of which can be found here.
- The study was a randomized controlled trial that assigned participants to a treatment group where they received a treadmill desk or a control group. Using activity monitors and self-report logs, the authors conducted statistical models to compare outcomes between the group members at 3, 6, and 12 months after assignment.
- The study found no significant differences in average daily sedentary behavior between the treadmill desk group and control group.
- This study receives a high evidence rating for the 12-month outcomes. This means we would be confident that any estimated effects are attributable to treadmill desks, and not to other factors. The study receives a moderate evidence rating for the 3- and 6-month outcomes. This means we would be somewhat confident that the estimated effects were attributable to treadmill desks, but other factors might also have contributed. However, the study did not find any statistically significant effects.
Intervention Examined
Treadmill desks
Features of the Intervention
Treadmill desks are treadmills with built-in desks, allowing people to work while walking on the treadmill. The goals of treadmill desks are to reduce sedentary behavior and increase physical activity among office workers. In this study, office workers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Northwestern University in Boston, Massachusetts used treadmill desks at their workstations. The authors focused on office workers who were overweight or obese as these individuals may be at elevated risk of health issues due to sedentary behavior. Office workers were trained to adjust their desk tabletops to the right height and to use treadmill desks safely and effectively. This included getting used to walking on the treadmills while they worked. The authors recommended that the participants accumulated at least two hours of walking and one hour of standing per day.
Features of the Study
This study was a randomized controlled trial that assigned office clusters to the treadmill desk group or control group. Eligible participants had to be between 18 and 65 years old, have a body mass index (BMI) above 25 kg/m², not perform physical activity more than twice a week, have a desk job, and be able to walk and stand for 40 to 60 minutes without any issues. Additionally, women could not be pregnant or planning to become pregnant within the next year. Participants were also screened for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The sample included 15 clusters of office workers, with seven clusters assigned to the treadmill desk group and eight clusters assigned to the control group to use regular seated desks.
There were 22 participants in the treatment group and 21 in the control group. Most of the treatment group were female (82%) and non-Hispanic White (68%), with an average age of 50 years. The control group was mostly female (95%), with over half being non-Hispanic White (57%) and an average age of 41 years. Both groups had similar average BMI.
The study used activity monitors to collect sensor data on participants' physical activity. Participants wore these monitors on their right thigh during waking hours for seven days at baseline, after 3 months, after 6 months, and after 12 months. Participants also completed daily self-report logs to account for times when they did not wear the activity monitor. The authors used statistical models to assess the differences in total sedentary behavior between the treadmill desk group and control group at 3, 6, and 12 months after random assignment.
Findings
Health and safety
- The study found no significant differences in average daily sedentary behavior between the treadmill desk group and control group at 3, 6, or 12 months after assignment.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
Although the study was a randomized controlled trial, it had high attrition at the three-month and six-month follow-up. However, the authors ensured that the groups were similar before participation in the program. Therefore, the study is eligible for a moderate evidence rating for these outcomes.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high for outcomes at the 12-month follow-up because it was based on a well implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we would be confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the treadmill desks, and not to other factors. The quality of causal evidence is moderate for outcomes at the 3-month follow-up and 6-month follow-up because sample attrition for these outcomes was high, but the authors ensured that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we would be somewhat confident that the estimated effects would be attributable to the treadmill desks, but other factors might have also contributed. However, the study did not find any statistically significant effects.