van Niekerk (Brown) S.-M.1, Louw Q.2, Fischer D.3
1Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa, 2Stellenbosch University, Physiotherapy, Cape Town, South Africa, 3Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Physiotherapy, Cape Town, South Africa
Background: Sitting too much shortens life expectancy, as it is associated with approximately thirty chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). A recent meta-analysis, showed that an association between sitting and NCDs was present; even after any other potential confounding factors were taken into account. However, it is concerning that even individuals that met the guidelines for physical activity, too much sitting was still an independent risk factor (irreversible by physical activity), for the development of NCDs. Prolonged sitting is a global health burden, as it affects more than half of the world populations' health. It is recognised internationally, that adolescent spinal pain is associated with sitting and carrying heavy loads at school. Spinal pain experienced during adolescence often progresses to chronic pain during adulthood.
Currently, there is no published information regarding sedentary behaviour from low income countries. Governments in some high income countries have already adjusted their guidelines for healthy lifestyles, to include recommendations to reduce sitting time. There is an urgent need for evidence about the effects of reduced sedentariness, so that policy makers can make informed decisions. This review is a first step in a series of research activities to formulate evidence based guidelines to reduce sedentariness and spinal pain in learners.
Currently, there is no published information regarding sedentary behaviour from low income countries. Governments in some high income countries have already adjusted their guidelines for healthy lifestyles, to include recommendations to reduce sitting time. There is an urgent need for evidence about the effects of reduced sedentariness, so that policy makers can make informed decisions. This review is a first step in a series of research activities to formulate evidence based guidelines to reduce sedentariness and spinal pain in learners.
Purpose: The purpose of this summary of reviews is to present an overview of the current literature on the effect of sit-stand desks in the school environment.
Methods: The following medical electronic databases were searched between January 2016 and July 2016: Pubmed, Cinahl, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar. A combination of the same search terms, sit-stand desk, adjustable workstation, adjustable desk, standing desk, schools, classroom were used in all the databases. Any systematic review reporting on primary intervention studies that focused on the effect of sit-stand desks on school learners (five to 18 years), were included,if the paper is in full text, and published in English language.
Primary intervention studies were excluded. The quality of all retrieved reviews was independently evaluated by two authors using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) protocol.
Results: Two systematic reviews were included in this summary. The two included reviews reported on eight and 11 primary intervention studies respectively. The sample sizes ranged between eight and 337 participants and intervention durations ranged between one single point in time and 1.5 years follow-up. Both reviews were of moderate quality according.
Conclusion(s): There is an emerging body of evidence regarding the use of standing desks in schools. The current evidence base is still relatively small, consisting of only two systematic reviews, albeit encouraging preliminary findings were reported. Both reviews concluded that integrating standing desks into schools has the potential to increase standing time and reduce sitting time, thus decreasing sedentariness in schools. There is little information to support their effect on musculoskeletal symptoms such as pain or posture, factors which should be addressed in future studies.
Implications: The use of standing desks in school classrooms appears to be feasible and may yield meaningful benefits. Standing desks increases standing time and reduces sitting time of school learners, thus decreasing sedentariness in schools.
Funding acknowledgements: Post-doctoral research funding by the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University
Topic: Occupational health & ergonomics
Ethics approval: Health Research Ethics Committee, Stellenbosch University
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
