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Identifying typologies of diurnal patterns in desk-based workers' sedentary time
Sayaka Kurosawa1, Ai Shibata2, Kaori Ishii3
1Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
Plos One
|April 9, 2021
Summary
Desk-based workers exhibit distinct diurnal sedentary behavior patterns, including stable sedentary, morning/afternoon break, and evening sedentary clusters. Interventions should target specific subgroups and non-work contexts to reduce sedentary time effectively.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Behavioral Science
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Desk-based work is prevalent, contributing to prolonged sedentary behavior and associated health risks.
- Understanding diurnal patterns of sedentary time is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
- Sociodemographic factors may influence sedentary behavior patterns among office workers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify distinct typologies of diurnal sedentary behavior patterns in desk-based workers.
- To examine the sociodemographic characteristics associated with these sedentary behavior patterns.
- To inform the development of tailored strategies for reducing sedentary time.
Main Methods:
- Accelerometer data collected from 229 desk-based workers to measure sedentary time.
- Calculation of diurnal variations in sedentary time across workdays and non-workdays.
- Hierarchical (Ward's method) and non-hierarchical (k-means) cluster analyses to identify behavioral typologies.
Main Results:
- Four sedentary behavior clusters were identified: stable sedentary (46.7%), off-morning break (26.6%), off-afternoon break (8.3%), and evening sedentary (18.3%).
- The stable sedentary cluster exhibited the least variation and highest total sedentary time.
- Significant differences in sociodemographic attributes (sex, income, education, sleep duration, etc.) were observed across clusters.
- The evening sedentary cluster showed prolonged sedentary time during evenings on both workdays and non-workdays.
Conclusions:
- Desk-based workers display diverse diurnal sedentary behavior patterns, necessitating individualized intervention approaches.
- Sedentary behavior interventions should extend beyond the workplace to non-work contexts, considering specific timing and subgroup characteristics.
- Targeting interventions based on identified diurnal patterns and sociodemographic profiles can enhance effectiveness in reducing overall sedentary time.
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