Promoting Physical Activity and Break in Office Workers

Overview

This study will determine the effect of physical activity promotion based on Thai Physical Activity Guideline (TPAG) and break in workplace sitting on physical activity level, physical fitness, body compositions, cognitive functions and cardiometabolic biomarkers in office workers at Software Park Thailand under the Office of Science and Technology (NSTDA). There are two intervention including physical activity (PA) coaching based on TPAG and break in workplace sitting. The investigators will coach participants for promoting daily active life and participating to monthly exercise programs. The participants will be assign to break in sitting during daily work.

Objective: this study will determine the effect of physical activity promotion based on Thai Physical Activity Guideline (TPAG) and break in workplace sitting on physical activity level, physical fitness, body compositions, cognitive functions and cardiometabolic biomarkers in office workers at Software Park Thailand under the Office of Science and Technology (NSTDA). Study design: an experimental study Interventions: there are two intervention including physical activity (PA) coaching based on TPAG and break in workplace sitting. We coach them for promoting daily active life and participating to monthly exercise programs. They will assign to break in sitting during daily work. Methods: The office workers at Software Park Thailand under the Office of Science and Technology (NSTDA) will be invited to participate in this study. The participants are a convenience sample. The inclusion criteria are: a) age 20-60 years, b) body mass index (BMI) ≤23, c) sitting for work more than 8 hours/day, and d) physical inactivity according to the PA recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO). The participants will be divided into three groups as the following. Experiment 1: 30 subjects will receive PA coaching based on TPAG and long break or break 15 minutes for every 2 hours (TPAG with LB) Experiment 2: 30 subjects will receive PA coaching based on TPAG and short break or break 1-2 minutes for every 1 hours (TPAG with SB) Control group: 30 subjects will not receive interventions (control). Demographics are measured by the online self-reported questionnaire. The participants will be assessed physical activity level, physical fitness, body compositions, cognitive function and cardiometabolic biomarkers at baseline, 2-and 6-month after intervention. PA level is measured by the questionnaires and the 6-step ladder of TPAG for PA promotion. Physical fitness includes muscles strength and endurance, range of motion (ROM) and the 3-minute step test measured by the non invasive hemodynamic monitors. Body compositions comprise of BMI, waist circumference, waist to height ratio and body fat measured by the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. Cognitions comprise of stroop color and word test, verbal fluency, digit span test and simple reaction time test. The blood test is used to detect the cardiometabolic biomarkers such as fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), HDL, LDL and total cholesterol. Statistical analysis: The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 will be used for data analysis. Two-way mixed model will be used for determining the effect of PA promotion based on TPAG and break in workplace sitting on health outcomes among office workers.