Using Non-exercise Physical Activity to Reduce Sedentariness in Occupational Work

Worryingly, large segments of the population are exposed to the health risks associated with sitting for prolonged periods across the entire day. In occupational settings, the provided furniture design, the transition to computer-based work, and workplace ethos afford little choice for desk-based employees but to sit to complete work tasks without changing posture outside of the scheduled breaks. Given the limited population uptake of exercise during leisure time and its inability to offset the effects of prolonged sitting, there has been an increased interest in addressing occupational sedentariness with alternatives to traditional lunchtime exercise options. Some worktime interventions have adopted the ethos of the ‘move more sit less’ approach. This approach focuses on encouraging participation in activities that are part of everyday work behaviour, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Such activities are sometimes labelled as non-exercise physical activity (NEPA). The advantage of NEPA-based interventions is the lack of specialist equipment, their low intensity, and the use of activities that require a simple choice of completing a work task in a different manner. As such, NEPA as an approach is attractive to those who eschew traditional forms of exercise.

This Special Issue focuses on behaviour change intervention strategies designed to improve health during the workday using the ethos of a ‘move more sit less’ approach, including:

• novel strategies for the inclusion of NEPA into occupational settings,
• the use of disruptive technology to achieve health outcomes through occupational settings,
• the evaluation (qualitative, mixed, and quantitative) of treatment processes including outcomes associated with adherence, compliance, psychological, sociological, and physiological outcomes,
• alternatives to traditional voluntary strategies for recruitment and participation, including passive, reinforcement techniques, and gamification, and
• promising digital solutions and/or intervention approaches for re-introducing low-intensity movement back into the workday.

Scope: Articles will be considered for this Special Issue, which focus on interventions designed to increase low-intensity movement at work. Editors will consider articles that have a theoretical perspective associated with activity-based intervention strategies in occupational settings.

Dr. Dean Cooley
Dr. Scott J. Pedersen
Dr. Casey P. Mainsbridge
Guest Editors

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• Non-exercise physical activity
• Prolonged sitting
• Occupational health outcomes
• Behaviour change