Workstation Pilot Study

Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Status: Completed

Conditions: Obesity; Sedentary Lifestyle

Treatments: Behavioral: WorkStation; Behavioral: Usual Working Condition

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01587092

PBRC 12015

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a pilot study to assess the feasibility of using treadmill desks (Workstations) within a Louisiana office workplace and to determine the effects of walking while working in overweight or obese, sedentary individuals.

Full description

Eligible participants will be randomized by chance to the WorkStation Intervention Group or to a Usual Working Condition Group.

The WorkStation Intervention Group will be asked to walk for up to 1.5 hours per day during the work week of Monday through Friday on the treadmill. Participants will complete two sessions per day for up to 45 minutes per session, tracking time and speed.

Usual Working Condition Group will be asked to continue working in usual environment and accustomed manner.

Regardless of which group the participants are assigned to, the participants will be asked to complete baseline and follow up assessment visits. Months 3 and 6 for approximately 1 hour for Body measurements (height, weight and waist circumference), body fat percent, gait speed, questionnaires, and accelerometry.

Enrollment: 41 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Males or females
• BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2
• Willing to give informed consent
• Willing to accept randomization to group assignment and willing to follow the protocol for the group to which they have been assigned
• Willing to maintain fulltime employment at the company for the next 6 months
• Willing to receive frequent contacts and communication from study staff over the next 6 months

Exclusion criteria

• Current participation in other Pennington Biomedical research studies
• BMI < 25 kg/m2
• Type 1 diabetes
• Average step count of ≥ 7,500 steps/day
• Self-reporting exercising > 20 minutes on 3 or more days/wk, within the past 6 months
• Unable to walk 45 minutes continuously without taking a rest
• Unable to walk without the use of an assistive device, such as a cane or walker
• Have had a cardiovascular event (stroke or heart attack) in the past 6 months
• Have a pacemaker or any other internal electrical medical device
• Have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
• Have any condition that would limit participation in a physical activity program
• Women who are pregnant, have been pregnant in the last 6 months, or are breastfeeding
• Actively participating in a weight loss program
• Plan to move out of the study area within the next 6 months or plan to be away from work for more than 4 weeks in the next 6 months
• Have another member of household participating in the study
• Have any condition, which, in the opinion of the investigator would impede competence or compliance or possibly hinder completion of the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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41 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Usual Working Condition Group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Participants assigned to the usual working condition control group will continue to work in their usual environment and accustomed manner. The control group participants will have access to the Workstations at the completion of study.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Usual Working Condition

WorkStation Intervention Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will be asked to walk for up to 1.5 hours per day on the treadmill. This will be split into two 45 minute sessions per day. Behavioral support will focus on adherence to frequency (attending scheduled sessions). Participants self-select speed of walking and time (they have up to 45 minutes allotted, but may choose less as they like).

Treatment:

Behavioral: WorkStation