BackgroundProlonged sitting time is a health risk. We describe a practice-based study designed to reduce prolonged sitting time and improve selected health factors among workers with sedentary jobs.Community ContextWe conducted our study during March–May 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, among employees with sedentary jobs.MethodsProject implementation occurred over 7 weeks with a baseline period of 1 week (period 1), an intervention period of 4 weeks (period 2), and a postintervention period of 2 weeks (period 3). The intervention group (n = 24) received a sit-stand device during period 2 designed to fit their workstation, and the comparison group (n = 10) did not. We used experience-sampling methods to monitor sitting behavior at work during the 7 weeks of the project. We estimated change scores in sitting time, health risk factors, mood states, and several office behaviors on the basis of survey responses.OutcomeThe Take-a-Stand Project reduced time spent sitting by 224% (66 minutes per day), reduced upper back and neck pain by 54%, and improved mood states. Furthermore, the removal of the device largely negated all observed improvements within 2 weeks.InterpretationOur findings suggest that using a sit-stand device at work can reduce sitting time and generate other health benefits for workers.

"Optimal lifestyle," comprising abstinence from smoking, adequate physical activity, eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and consuming limited or no alcohol, is associated with low risk of chronic disease when unselected populations are observed for long periods of time. It is unclear whether these same associations are present when observation is limited to employed individuals followed for a brief period of time. The purpose of this investigation was to study the association between adherence to optimal lifestyle and the incidence of chronic conditions among employees over a 2-year period. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between employees' (N  = 6848) adherence to optimal lifestyle and the incidence of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, hypertension, high cholesterol, and back pain during a 2-year period. All data were self-reported. Adherence to any 3 components of the optimal lifestyle was associated with a significantly lower near-term incidence of diabetes (odds ratio [OR] =  0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.31-0.97) and back pain (OR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.53-0.92). Adherence to all 4 optimal lifestyle components was significantly associated with lower near-term incidence of back pain (OR = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.26-0.76). Physical activity was associated with significantly lower near-term incidence risk of heart disease (OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.38-0.95), high cholesterol (OR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.66-0.99), and diabetes (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.30-0.86). Adherence to optimal lifestyle, in particular adequate physical activity, is associated with lower near-term risk of developing several chronic conditions. Employers and payers should consider this fact when formulating policy or allocating resources for health care and health promotion.

Simultaneous adherence to abstinence from smoking, adequate physical activity, eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and consuming limited or no amount of alcohol has been associated with a variety of health outcomes, but not emotional health. The purpose of this investigation was to study the association between optimal lifestyle behaviors and self-reported emotional health indicators among employed adults. Emotional health indicators studied were feeling depressed, stress risk, and the impact of emotional health on daily life among employees (N = 34,603). Binary logistic regression models were used to predict likelihood of feeling depressed and risk of stress based on degree of adherence to optimal lifestyle. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to assess the association between adherence to optimal lifestyle and likelihood of emotional quality of life among employees. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status (using the area deprivation index), sleep, self-perceived health status, self-efficacy, and chronic conditions including depression. All data were self-reported except for the area deprivation index. Adherence to any 3 or 4 components of the optimal lifestyle was associated with all 3 emotional health issues studied: Lower odds of feeling depressed, reporting stress risk, and emotional health affecting daily life. Adherence to any 2 components of the optimal lifestyle metric was associated with lower odds of feeling depressed and emotional health affecting daily life. All 4 individual lifestyle behaviors had significant associations with at least 2 of the 3 emotional health outcomes studied. Adherence to optimal lifestyle is associated with significantly more positive emotional health states as measured by feeling depressed, risk for high stress, and impact of emotional health on daily life. While causality cannot be inferred, the strength of the associations warrants trials to determine the extent to which adopting positive lifestyles can result in improved mental health.