Title
Higher education: testing the efficacy of height adjustable sit-stand desks in college classrooms
DOI
10.17077/etd.ia16eh3i
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Degree
Spring 2017
Access Restrictions
.
Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Degree In
Health and Sport Studies
First Advisor
Carr, Lucas J
First Committee Member
Janz, Kathleen F
Second Committee Member
Baquero, Barbara
Abstract
Sedentary behavior has been found to have independent and negative associations with several cardiometabolic risk factors while interrupting prolonged sedentary time may ameliorate these associations. College classrooms are a traditionally sedentary microenvironment and understudied setting for sedentary interventions. Introducing sit-stand desks into college classrooms may be an effective and sustainable approach to reduce classroom sedentary time of college students. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of replacing seated desks with sit-stand desks in a college classroom on student’s classroom standing time and sit-stand transitions, as well as health-related and academic behaviors.
We recruited 304 undergraduate college students taking one of 14 classes being taught in one of two small classrooms (25 seats per class) to participate. Using a cross-over design, each student’s classroom sitting and standing time were measured by self-report and objectively (direct observation via video camera surveillance) after having access to only seated desks or only sit-stand desks for six continuous weeks. A process evaluation survey was administered at the end of the study to explore student’s and instructor’s perceptions of the intervention and its impact on student engagement.
The results suggest that students stood about 9.1% of class time on average when given access to sit-stand desks and about 1.95% of class time when using traditional seated desks, as measured by objective video surveillance data. There was no significant change in sit-stand transitions between sit-stand desks and seated desks. Students reported that a number of academic and health outcomes were favorably impacted as a result of using the sit-stand desks. Social acceptability appeared to be the biggest barrier to use of the sit-stand desks. Overall, students reported a desire to use sit-stand desks again in future classes.
Students stood significantly more when provided access to sit-stand desks compared to seated desks. Sit-stand transitions were not significantly increased when sit-stand desks were implemented. Significantly more students reported improvements in academic and health related outcomes than students who reported declines in these areas as a result of using sit-stand desks. A majority of students reported they would use sit-stand desk again in the future and be supportive of adding sit-stand desks to other classrooms on campus. Sit-stand desks are a feasible environmental change in a college classroom to reduce student sedentary time.
Public Abstract
Sitting for prolonged periods has been found to have negative impacts on health. College students are a particularly sedentary population, and introducing sit-stand desks into college classrooms may be an effective and sustainable approach to reduce their sitting time. The objective of this study was to test the effects of replacing seated desks with sit-stand desks in a college classroom on student’s classroom sitting and standing behaviors, as well as health-related and academic behaviors.
We recruited 304 undergraduate college students taking one of 14 classes being taught in one of two small classrooms (25 seats per class) to participate. Each classroom received the sit-stand desks for 6 consecutive weeks throughout the semester, and seated desks for the rest of the time. A process evaluation survey was administered at the end of the study to explore student’s and instructor’s perceptions of the intervention and its impact on student engagement.
The results suggest that students stood significantly more on average when given access to sit-stand desks (5.7 minutes/hour) compared to seated desks (0.9 minutes/hour), as measured by video surveillance data. There was no change in sit-stand transitions between sit-stand desks and seated desks. Students reported that a number of academic and health outcomes were favorably impacted as a result of using the sit-stand desks. Overall, students reported a desire to use sit-stand desks again in future classes. Sit-stand desks appear to be a feasible environmental change in a college classroom to reduce student sedentary time.
Pages
viii, 49 pages
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 45-49).
Copyright
Copyright © 2017 Matthew Jerome
Recommended Citation
Jerome, Matthew. "Higher education: testing the efficacy of height adjustable sit-stand desks in college classrooms." MS (Master of Science) thesis, University of Iowa, 2017.
https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.ia16eh3i