Implementation of Standing Desks at School

Health Behavior Clinical Trial

Official title:

Implementing Standing Desks in Primary and Secondary Schools to Reduce Sedentary Time: Effect and Process Evaluation.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03163004
• Other study ID #: FWO13/PDO/191 second term
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: May 17, 2017
• Last updated: October 20, 2017
• Start date: October 1, 2016
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2017

Study information

• Verified date: October 2017
• Source: University Ghent
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Since sedentary time is related to various health outcomes and is already highly prevalent in childhood and adolescence, effective strategies are needed to tackle this health problem. Children and adolescents spend the majority of the day in a classroom while sitting at a desk. Therefore, the classroom is an important setting for implementing specific strategies to reduce sedentary time.

One of the strategies that gained more attention during the past years is replacing traditional desks and chairs with standing desks.

This project evaluates the implementation of standing desks in primary and secondary schools via a clustered randomized controlled trial using an intervention and control condition. Effects on sedentary time during in class, sedentary activities during leisure time, breaks in sedentary time, and related determinants (secondary outcomes) are evaluated.

Next to effect evaluation, it is also equally important to evaluate how teachers and pupils perceive this change in the classroom environment. Both groups need to be positive in order to obtain the adoption and sustainability. Therefore, focus groups with pupils and interviews with teachers are conducted, with a specific focus on the perceived barriers. Moreover, the process evaluation is conducted quantitatively as well by using questionnaires in pupils and teachers.

The project results will lead to recommendations on how to broadly implement standing desks into primary and secondary schools.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 343
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2017
• Est. primary completion date: June 30, 2017
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 9 Years to 18 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy pupils of primary schools (5th grade) and secondary schools (10th grade)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Health Behavior

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Implementation of standing desks
Three standing desks will be introduced to the classroom

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Belgium	Ghent University, Department of Movement and Sports Sciences	Ghent

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University Ghent

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Belgium, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Decrease in children's sedentary time during school hours	In the questionnaire, following item was used to subjectively assess the outcome: 'On average how many hours do you spent sedentary in class?' Answer categories ranged from 'None' to 'More than 7 hours per day'. In addition, a subsample wore an ActivPAL inclinometer to objectively measure sedentary time. This thigh-worn device uses accelerometer-derived information about thigh position to calculate the outcome.	One schoolyear
Secondary	Possible decrease in TV time on week- and weekend days	In the questionnaire, children and adolescents were asked on average how many hours they spent in front of a television, separately for week- and weekend days. Answer categories ranged from 'Non' to 'More than 4 hours per day'. The items are derived from the reliable and valid ENERGY-questionnaire.	One schoolyear
Secondary	Possible decrease in computer time on week- and weekend days	In the questionnaire, children and adolescents were asked on average how many hours they spent in front of a computer, separately for week- and weekend days. Answer categories ranged from 'Non' to 'More than 4 hours per day'. The items are derived from the reliable and valid ENERGY-questionnaire.	One schoolyear
Secondary	Increase in the number of breaks in sedentary activities	In the questionnaire, children and adolescents were asked on average, how many times they interrupt their TV time, computer time and sitting during school hours. Answer categories ranged from '0' to '4 times or more per hour'. The items were derived from the ENERGY-questionnaire.	One schoolyear
Secondary	Improvement of determinants related to breaking up sedentary activities	In the questionnaire, questions were added on attitude, self-efficacy, preferences and habits related to breaking up sedentary activities, with answer categories ranging from 'Totally agree' to 'Totally disagree'. The items were derived from the ENERGY-questionnaire	One schoolyear
Secondary	Improvement in school well-being	Three school-related variables (i.e. relationship with classmates, involvement in organising school activities, and relationship with teachers) were assessed in the questionnaire using items from the Flemish Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children questionnaire.	One schoolyear