Reducing Sitting among College Students by Promoting Standing Work Stations in Hallways: A Pilot Feasibility Study
Keywords:
sitting, standing, college students, sedentary behaviorAbstract
Purpose: Strategies to reduce extended sitting include the use of standing (or adjustable height) workstations, yet little research has explored their feasibility in college settings. The purpose of this study was to describe student use and perceptions of hallway standing work stations. Methods: Standing work stations (with laptop and cell phone charging capability) were installed in a hallway near classrooms. Emails providing information about the workstations and encouraging their use were sent to students enrolled in classes near the stations. Data on use of the stations was collected for 8 weeks via a QR-directed login. Students who logged use of the stations were sent a follow-up survey. Results: Logged use of stations averaged 14.75 instances per week, primarily between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Slightly over 12% of students enrolled in nearby classes logged use of stations at least once. Survey responses indicated typical station use length was 15-45 minutes, and 95% of users liked the stations and desired more across campus. Conclusion: Creating standing work stations in hallways and promoting them with email and visual prompts was an inexpensive strategy to change the university environment to create opportunities to reduce sitting. Many students chose to stand between classes.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Edward Hebert, Hannah Reck, Ryan Green, Charity Bryan
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