IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2019i1p236-d302878.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impact of Activity-Based Working and Height-Adjustable Desks on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Space Utilization among Office Workers: A Natural Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Takashi Jindo

    (Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, 150 Tobuki, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0001, Japan)

  • Yuko Kai

    (Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, 150 Tobuki, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0001, Japan)

  • Naruki Kitano

    (Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, 150 Tobuki, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0001, Japan)

  • Kyohsuke Wakaba

    (The Faculty of Human Life, Jumonji University, 2-1-28 Sugasawa, Niiza, Saitama 352-8510, Japan)

  • Mitsuru Makishima

    (Okamura Corporation, Tenri Bldg, 1-4-1 Kitasaiwai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0004, Japan)

  • Koji Takeda

    (Okamura Corporation, Tenri Bldg, 1-4-1 Kitasaiwai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0004, Japan)

  • Michitaka Iida

    (Information Services International-Dentsu (ISID), LTD, 2-17-1 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0075, Japan)

  • Kinji Igarashi

    (Information Services International-Dentsu (ISID), LTD, 2-17-1 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0075, Japan)

  • Takashi Arao

    (Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, 150 Tobuki, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0001, Japan)

Abstract

It has been reported that office environment is an important determinant of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in office workers. However, the effect of changes in office environment (office renovation) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine PA, SB, and space utilization changes among office workers in response to office renovation. This study was a natural experiment at three offices of a single company in Tokyo, Japan. The participants were, 13 workers from one office in the renovation group (mean age: 37.9 ± 10.8 years, percentage of females: 23.1%) and 29 from two offices in the control group (mean age: 42.3 ± 11.2 years, percentage of females: 31.0%). In the renovation, introduction of activity-based working (ABW) and installation of height-adjustable desks (HAD) were adopted. The ABW office was designed to provide various shared workstations, enabling the workers to choose workstations depending on their task or mood. Accelerometer measurement and object detection method using artificial intelligence (AI) technology for video images were used to assess behavior and space utilization before and after the renovation. Two weeks after the renovation, significant improvements in SB (pre- to post-renovation improvements: 346.8 ± 28.6 to 321.2 ± 17.8 min/working-hours) and PA (total PA: 173.2 ± 28.6 to 198.8 ± 17.8 min/working-hours; and light-intensity PA: 130.4 ± 27.1 to 150.7 ± 31.0 min/working-hours) were observed. In addition, the results of the object detection analysis showed that the central aisle of the office and shared HAD workstations near the entrance or window were utilized more frequently than the other spaces. This study suggested that office renovation could improve SB and PA immediately after the renovation. Moreover, utilized spaces and HAD workstations could play an important role to enhance employees’ activity in an ABW office.

Suggested Citation

  • Takashi Jindo & Yuko Kai & Naruki Kitano & Kyohsuke Wakaba & Mitsuru Makishima & Koji Takeda & Michitaka Iida & Kinji Igarashi & Takashi Arao, 2019. "Impact of Activity-Based Working and Height-Adjustable Desks on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Space Utilization among Office Workers: A Natural Experiment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2019:i:1:p:236-:d:302878
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/1/236/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/1/236/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erin Gorman & Maureen C Ashe & David W Dunstan & Heather M Hanson & Ken Madden & Elisabeth A H Winkler & Heather A McKay & Genevieve N Healy, 2013. "Does an ‘Activity-Permissive’ Workplace Change Office Workers’ Sitting and Activity Time?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(10), pages 1-1, October.
    2. Lauren Arundell & Bronwyn Sudholz & Megan Teychenne & Jo Salmon & Brooke Hayward & Genevieve N. Healy & Anna Timperio, 2018. "The Impact of Activity Based Working (ABW) on Workplace Activity, Eating Behaviours, Productivity, and Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-16, May.
    3. Abi Fisher & Marcella Ucci & Lee Smith & Alexia Sawyer & Richard Spinney & Marina Konstantatou & Alexi Marmot, 2018. "Associations between the Objectively Measured Office Environment and Workplace Step Count and Sitting Time: Cross-Sectional Analyses from the Active Buildings Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-11, June.
    4. Satoshi Kurita & Shohei Yano & Kaori Ishii & Ai Shibata & Hiroyuki Sasai & Yoshio Nakata & Noritoshi Fukushima & Shigeru Inoue & Shigeho Tanaka & Takemi Sugiyama & Neville Owen & Koichiro Oka, 2017. "Comparability of activity monitors used in Asian and Western-country studies for assessing free-living sedentary behaviour," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(10), pages 1-14, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sara K. Rosenkranz & Emily L. Mailey & Emily Umansky & Richard R. Rosenkranz & Elizabeth Ablah, 2020. "Workplace Sedentary Behavior and Productivity: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Bei Liu & Hong Chen & Xin Gan, 2019. "How Much Is Too Much? The Influence of Work Hours on Social Development: An Empirical Analysis for OECD Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Louise Mansfield & Jennifer Hall & Lee Smith & Molly Rasch & Emily Reeves & Stephen Dewitt & Benjamin Gardner, 2018. "“Could you sit down please?” A qualitative analysis of employees’ experiences of standing in normally-seated workplace meetings," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(6), pages 1-16, June.
    4. Jiameng Ma & Dongmei Ma & Junghoon Kim & Qiang Wang & Hyunshik Kim, 2021. "Effects of Substituting Types of Physical Activity on Body Fat Mass and Work Efficiency among Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-10, May.
    5. Maria Öhrn & Viktoria Wahlström & Mette S. Harder & Maria Nordin & Anita Pettersson-Strömbäck & Christina Bodin Danielsson & David Olsson & Martin Andersson & Lisbeth Slunga Järvholm, 2021. "Productivity, Satisfaction, Work Environment and Health after Relocation to an Activity-Based Flex Office—The Active Office Design Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-16, July.
    6. Bradley MacDonald & Xanne Janssen & Alison Kirk & Mhairi Patience & Ann-Marie Gibson, 2018. "An Integrative, Systematic Review Exploring the Research, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance of Interventions to Reduce Sedentary Behaviour in Office Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-29, December.
    7. Shohei Yano & Mohammad Javad Koohsari & Ai Shibata & Kaori Ishii & Levi Frehlich & Gavin R. McCormack & Koichiro Oka, 2019. "Comparison of Older and Newer Generation Active Style Pro Accelerometers in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Surveillance under a Free-Living Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-10, May.
    8. Marsha L. Brierley & Lindsey R. Smith & Angel M. Chater & Daniel P. Bailey, 2022. "A-REST (Activity to Reduce Excessive Sitting Time): A Feasibility Trial to Reduce Prolonged Sitting in Police Staff," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-27, July.
    9. Lina Engelen, 2020. "Does Active Design Influence Activity, Sitting, Wellbeing and Productivity in the Workplace? A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Eva L. Bergsten & Katarina Wijk & David M. Hallman, 2021. "Relocation to Activity-Based Workplaces (ABW)—Importance of the Implementation Process," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-16, October.
    11. Shohei Yano & Mohammad Javad Koohsari & Ai Shibata & Kaori Ishii & Levi Frehlich & Gavin R. McCormack & Koichiro Oka, 2019. "Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Assessment: A Laboratory-Based Evaluation of Agreement between Commonly Used ActiGraph and Omron Accelerometers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-13, August.
    12. Jaehoon Seol & Takumi Abe & Yuya Fujii & Kaya Joho & Tomohiro Okura, 2020. "Effects of sedentary behavior and physical activity on sleep quality in older people: A cross‐sectional study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(1), pages 64-71, March.
    13. Lee Smith & Alexia Sawyer & Benjamin Gardner & Katri Seppala & Marcella Ucci & Alexi Marmot & Pippa Lally & Abi Fisher, 2018. "Occupational Physical Activity Habits of UK Office Workers: Cross-Sectional Data from the Active Buildings Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-10, June.
    14. Shiho Amagasa & Noritoshi Fukushima & Hiroyuki Kikuchi & Tomoko Takamiya & Yuko Odagiri & Koichiro Oka & Shigeru Inoue, 2018. "Drivers Are More Physically Active Than Non-Drivers in Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-12, May.
    15. Meiling Qi & Wendy Moyle & Cindy Jones & Benjamin Weeks, 2020. "Feasibility of a Tai Chi with Thera-Band Training Program: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-10, November.
    16. Johan Larsson & Stig Vinberg & Helena Jahncke, 2022. "Changing the Office Design to Activity-Based Flexible Offices: A Longitudinal Study of How Managers’ Leadership Behaviours Are Perceived," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-14, October.
    17. Shohei Yano & Mohammad Javad Koohsari & Ai Shibata & Kaori Ishii & Suzanne Mavoa & Koichiro Oka, 2019. "Assessing Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior under Free-Living Conditions: Comparison of Active Style Pro HJA-350IT and ActiGraph TM GT3X+," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-14, August.
    18. Pankaj Sharma & Adam Pickens & Ranjana Mehta & Gang Han & Mark E. Benden, 2019. "Smart Software Can Increase Sit–Stand Desk Transitions During Active Computer Use," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-9, July.
    19. Lauren Arundell & Bronwyn Sudholz & Megan Teychenne & Jo Salmon & Brooke Hayward & Genevieve N. Healy & Anna Timperio, 2018. "The Impact of Activity Based Working (ABW) on Workplace Activity, Eating Behaviours, Productivity, and Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-16, May.
    20. Kanako Hamaguchi & Toshiyuki Kurihara & Masahiro Fujimoto & Koji Sato & Motoyuki Iemitsu & Takafumi Hamaoka & Kiyoshi Sanada, 2020. "Associations among Bone Mineral Density, Physical Activity and Nutritional Intake in Middle-Aged Women with High Levels of Arterial Stiffness: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-15, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2019:i:1:p:236-:d:302878. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.