Co-design and development of the sit-stand e-guide: An e-training program for the optimal use of sit-stand workstations.

This paper describes the co-design and development process of an evidence-informed e-training program (Sit-Stand e-Guide) to support the safe and optimal use of sit-stand workstations from ergonomics and behavioural change perspectives. Using an instructional system design process, supported by a participatory design approach, data was collected through three workshops with workplace consumers (staff [n = 5] and managers [n = 5]), and subject matter experts (n = 5). Content and learning activities were developed based on behaviour change principles and optimal pedagogy. Key topics identified for the e-training were sedentary behaviour and health; workstation set-up; and strategies for behaviour change. Learning activities (scenarios and reflection) to enhance knowledge retention and skills implementation and an interactive one-page guide on completion were included in the e-training. The relevance and usefulness of the training prototype were reviewed through one-to-one think-aloud sessions with the workshop consumers (n = 5) and external health and safety professionals (n = 5) receiving positive feedback. The Sit-Stand e-Guide is readily available for workplace implementation and evaluation. This paper serves as a practical guide for future training development.

Applying a User Centred Design Approach to Optimise a Workplace Initiative for Wide-Scale Implementation.

Translation of an effective research intervention into a program able to be implemented in practice typically requires adaptations to ensure the outcomes can be achieved within the applied setting. User centred design (UCD) methodologies can support these iterative adaptations, with this approach being particularly well suited to peer-led interventions, due to a focus on usability. We describe and reflect on the UCD approach that was applied to optimise an online, peer-led workplace health promotion initiative (BeUpstanding: ACTRN12617000682347) to be suitable for wide-scale implementation and evaluation. Optimisation was aligned against the indicators of the RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance) framework, with UCD methodologies (discovery interviews, persona and scenario mapping, facilitated workshops, surveys and prototyping) employed to enhance the program according to all RE-AIM dimensions. The core team (content experts, implementation scientist, interaction designer, software developer, business developer) worked closely with policy and practice partners and end users (workplace champions, management and staff) to iteratively develop and test across the RE-AIM indicators. This description and reflection of the process of applying UCD and the RE-AIM framework to the optimisation of BeUpstanding is intended to provide guidance for other behaviour change research adaptations into practice.

Sitting less and moving more for improved metabolic and brain health in type 2 diabetes: 'OPTIMISE your health' trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines recommend that adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) sit less and move more throughout the day. The 18-month OPTIMISE Your Health Clinical Trial was developed to support desk-based workers with T2D achieve these recommendations. The two-arm protocol consists of an intervention and control arms. The intervention arm receives 6 months health coaching, a sit-stand desktop workstation and an activity tracker, followed by 6 months of text message support, then 6 months maintenance. The control arm receives a delayed modified intervention after 12 months of usual care. This paper describes the methods of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the intervention, compared to a delayed intervention control. METHODS: This is a two-arm RCT being conducted in Melbourne, Australia. Desk-based workers (≥0.8 full-time equivalent) aged 35-65 years, ambulatory, and with T2D and managed glycaemic control (6.5-10.0% HbA1c), are randomised to the multicomponent intervention (target n = 125) or delayed-intervention control (target n = 125) conditions. All intervention participants receive 6 months of tailored health coaching assisting them to "sit less" and "move more" at work and throughout the day, supported by a sit-stand desktop workstation and an activity tracker (Fitbit). Participants receive text message-based extended care for a further 6-months (6-12 months) followed by 6-months of non-contact (12-18 months: maintenance). Delayed intervention occurs at 12-18 months for the control arm. Assessments are undertaken at baseline, 3, 6, 12, 15 and 18-months. Primary outcomes are activPAL-measured sitting time (h/16 h day), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c; %, mmol/mol) and, cognitive function measures (visual learning and new memory; Paired Associates Learning Total Errors [adjusted]). Secondary, exploratory, and process outcomes will also be collected throughout the trial. DISCUSSION: The OPTIMISE Your Health trial will provide unique insights into the benefits of an intervention aimed at sitting less and moving more in desk-bound office workers with T2D, with outcomes relevant to glycaemic control, and to cardiometabolic and brain health. Findings will contribute new insights to add to the evidence base on initiating and maintaining behaviour change with clinical populations and inform practice in diabetes management. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ANZCTRN12618001159246 .

Factors impacting workplace investment in sit-stand workstations from the perspective of purchasing decision-makers.

This explanatory sequential mixed-method study explored the factors associated with the investment (or not) in sit-stand workstations (SSWs) and alternative initiatives to reduce prolonged sitting at work from the perspective of furniture purchasing decision-makers in Australian workplaces. Participants (n = 270) from >200 organisations across 19 industry sectors completed an online survey. Seven interviews were conducted in a sub-sample of participants from organisations without SSWs. The majority (80%) of workplaces reported having invested in SSWs. Workplaces without SSWs, opposed to those with SSWs, were more likely to be private (79.6% vs. 43.5%), of small/medium size (70.4% vs. 35.6%) and without a wellness program (57.4% vs. 22.2%) (all p < 0.05). Financial implications were the main reason for not investing in SSWs. Exercise and stretch breaks were alternative initiatives to reducing sedentary behaviour at work. Better evidence on the return on investment is needed to support purchasing decisions on SSWs.

A RE-AIM evaluation in early adopters to iteratively improve the online BeUpstanding™ program supporting workers to sit less and move more.

BACKGROUND: The web-based BeUpstanding program supports desk workers to sit less and move more. Successfully translated from a research-delivered intervention, BeUpstanding has gone through iterative development and evaluation phases in preparation for wide-scale implementation. In the third planned "early-adopters" phase (01/09/2017-11/06/2019), the program was made freely-available online. An integrated delivery and evaluation platform was also developed to enable workplace champions to run and evaluate the intervention within their work team independent of researcher support. Using the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework, this study reports on the extent to which the program and processes were "fit-for-purpose" for a national implementation trial across the indicators of uptake (reach and adoption), implementation and engagement, and effectiveness for behaviour change. METHODS: Data were collected via the online surveys embedded in the program and through program access analytics. Descriptive data (with linearized variance for the clustered staff-level data) and results from mixed models (repeated data and clustering for pre-post changes) are reported. RESULTS: Despite purposeful limited promotion, uptake was good, with 182 Australian users initially registering (208 total) and 135 (from 113 organisations) then completing the sign-up process. Recruitment reached users across Australia and in 16 of 19 Australian industries. Implementation was inconsistent and limited, with signed-up users completing 0 to 14 of the program's 14 steps and only 7 (5.2%) completing all seven core steps. Many champions (n = 69, 51.1%) had low engagement (1 day toolkit usage) and few (n = 30, 22%) were highly engaged (> 1 day toolkit usage and surveyed staff). Although only 18 users (7 organisations) performed the pre- and post-program staff evaluations (337 and 167 staff, respectively), pre-post changes showed the program effectively reduced workplace sitting by - 9.0% (95% CI -12.0, - 5.9%). DISCUSSION: The program had uptake across industries and across Australia, but implementation and engagement varied widely. Few workplaces completed the evaluation components. In those that did, the program was effective for the primary outcome (workplace sitting). Conducting a planned early adopters phase and a comprehensive evaluation according to RE-AIM helped highlight necessary program improvements to make it more suitable for wide-scale implementation and evaluation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinic Trials Registry ACTRN12617000682347 . Date registered: 12/05/2017.

Dose and engagement during an extended contact physical activity and dietary behavior change intervention delivered via tailored text messaging: exploring relationships with behavioral outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Extended contact interventions delivered via text messaging are a low-cost option for promoting the long-term continuation of behavior change. This secondary analysis of a text message-delivered extended contact intervention ('Get Healthy, Stay Healthy' (GHSH)) explores the extent to which changes in physical activity, dietary behaviors and body weight were associated with the frequency of text messages (dose) and contact between the health coach and participant (engagement). METHODS: Following a telephone coaching program, participants were randomised to receive extended contact via tailored text messages (GHSH, n = 114) or no additional contact (n = 114) over a 6-month period. Message dose, timing, and content were based on participant preferences, ascertained during two tailoring telephone calls. All incoming and outgoing messages were recorded. At baseline and 6 months, participants self-reported body weight and dietary behaviors (fruit and vegetable servings/day). Moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed via accelerometry. RESULTS: Median dose (25th, 75th percentile) was 53 (33, 72) text messages in total across six months. Mean fortnightly dose in weeks 1-2 was 5.5 (95 % CI: 4.3, 6.6) text messages, and remained stable (with the exception of planned decreases in weeks involving additional intervention contacts). Offset against the average fortnightly dose of goal checks (1.6, 95 % CI: 1.3, 2.0 and 1.5, 95 % CI: 1.2, 1.8, for physical activity and diet respectively), mean replies to goal checks were highest in weeks 1-2 (1.4, 95 % CI: 1.4, 1.5 and 1.3, 95 % CI: 1.2, 1.4, respectively) and tended to become lower in most weeks thereafter. Greater weight loss was positively associated with text message dose (P = 0.022), with a difference of 1.9 kg between participants receiving the most and fewest texts. There was no association between engagement and changes in outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: A fixed dose of texts does not seem suitable to meet participants' individual preferences. Higher self-selected text doses predicted better weight outcomes. However, greater participant engagement through text replies does not predict more favourable outcomes, despite being a suggested facilitator of successful behavior change maintenance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number: ACTRN12613000949785. Date registered: 27 August 2013. Retrospectively registered. http://www.anzctr.org.au/ .

Alternatives for Measuring Sitting Accumulation in Workplace Surveys.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and assess the measurement properties of self-report measures of accumulation of sitting time. METHODS: Seven candidate measures were collected in 51 workers from three office environments (79% women) via online questionnaire administered immediately before and after 7-day monitoring periods (activPAL3 24-hour protocol with diary recorded work hours). RESULTS: Three measures had some validity (P < 0.05 vs activPAL): % of sitting in long bouts more than or equal to 30 minutes, sitting strategy frequency (0 to 100), and interruption rate (n/h sitting). Agreement was limited. Some reliability (intraclass correlation or kappa P < 0.05) was seen for these measures, strategy variety (0 to 100), typical day (five categories), and making a conscious effort to sit less (yes/no). CONCLUSIONS: Two brief and one longer option may suit workplace studies requiring self-report measures of sitting accumulation. Validity was weaker for sitting accumulation than sitting time.

Usage of sit-stand workstations: Benefits and barriers from decision makers' perspective in Australia.

The aim of this cross-sectional mixed-method study was to understand the current use, and practices to support the implementation, of sit-stand workstations (SSWs) from the perspective of furniture purchasing decision makers in Australian organisations. An online survey, and in-depth interviews with a purposive sub-sample were conducted. A total of 216 eligible participants from 150 organisations across 18 sectors completed the survey with 17 interviews conducted. 40% of organisations provided SSWs on request while 41% reported not using them appropriately. Over half provided no training on the appropriate use of SSWs (n = 109, 51%) nor used any strategies to enhance their use (n = 163, 84%). From the interviews, SSWs were perceived effective in reducing discomforts and increasing employees' satisfaction and productivity. Lack of resources and guidelines to support SSW usage, and lack of wellbeing knowledge, were identified as barriers. Education and ongoing monitoring are important to enhance the appropriate use and uptake of SSWs.

How supportive are workplace environments for sitting less and moving more? A descriptive study of Australian workplaces participating in the BeUpstanding program.

Desk-based workers are highly sedentary; this has been identified as an emerging work health and safety issue. To reduce workplace sitting time and promote physical activity it is important to understand what factors are already present within workplaces to inform future interventions. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of supportive environmental factors, prior to workplaces taking part in a 'sit less, move more' initiative (BeUpstanding). Participants were 291 Australian-based workplace champions (representing 230 organisations) who unlocked the BeUpstanding program's online toolkit between September 2017 and mid-November 2020, and who completed surveys relating to champion characteristics, organisation and workplace characteristics, and the availability of environmental factors to support sitting less and moving more. Factors were characterized using descriptive statistics and compared across key sectors and factor categories (spatial; resources/initiatives; policy/cultural) using mixed logistic regression models. Of the 42 factors measured, only 11 were present in > 50% of workplaces. Spatial design factors were more likely to be present than resources/initiatives or policy/cultural factors. Centralised printers were the most commonly reported attribute (94%), while prompts to encourage stair use were the least common (4%). Most workplace factors with < 50% prevalence were modifiable and/or were considered modifiable with low cost. Organisations that were public sector, not small/medium, not regional/remote, and not blue-collar had higher odds of having supportive factors than their counterparts; however, workplaces varied considerably in the number of factors present. These findings can assist with developing and targeting initiatives and promoting feasible strategies for desk-based workers to sit less and move more.

Translating research into practice: outcomes from the Healthy Living after Cancer partnership project.

BACKGROUND: Healthy Living after Cancer (HLaC) was a national dissemination and implementation study of an evidence-based lifestyle intervention for cancer survivors. The program was imbedded into existing telephone cancer information and support services delivered by Australian state-based Cancer Councils (CC). We report here the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the program. METHODS: In this phase IV study (single-group, pre-post design) participants - survivors of any type of cancer, following treatment with curative intent - received up to 12 nurse/allied health professional-led telephone health coaching calls over 6 months. Intervention delivery was grounded in motivational interviewing, with emphasis on evidence-based behaviour change strategies. Using the RE-AIM evaluation framework, primary outcomes were reach, indicators of program adoption, implementation, costs and maintenance. Secondary (effectiveness) outcomes were participant-reported anthropometric, behavioural and psychosocial variables including: weight; physical activity; dietary intake; quality-of-life; treatment side-effects; distress; and fear of cancer recurrence and participant satisfaction. Changes were evaluated using linear mixed models, including terms for timepoint (0/6 months), strata (Cancer Council), and timepoint x strata. RESULTS: Four of 5 CCs approached participated in the study. In total, 1183 cancer survivors were referred (mostly via calls to the Cancer Council telephone information service). Of these, 90.4% were eligible and 88.7% (n = 791) of those eligible consented to participate. Retention rate was 63.4%. Participants were mostly female (88%), aged 57 years and were overweight (BMI = 28.8 ± 6.5 kg/m2). Improvements in all participant-reported outcomes (standardised effect sizes of 0.1 to 0.6) were observed (p < 0.001). The program delivery costs were on average AU$427 (US$296) per referred cancer survivor. CONCLUSIONS: This telephone-delivered lifestyle intervention, which was feasibly implemented by Cancer Councils, led to meaningful and statistically significant improvements in cancer survivors' health and quality-of-life at a relatively low cost. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) - ACTRN12615000882527 (registered on 24/08/2015).

Supporting Workers to Sit Less and Move More Through the Web-Based BeUpstanding Program: Protocol for a Single-Arm, Repeated Measures Implementation Study.

BACKGROUND: The web-based BeUpstanding Champion Toolkit was developed to support work teams in addressing the emergent work health and safety issue of excessive sitting. It provides a step-by-step guide and associated resources that equip a workplace representative-the champion-to adopt and deliver the 8-week intervention program (BeUpstanding) to their work team. The evidence-informed program is designed to raise awareness of the benefits of sitting less and moving more, build a supportive culture for change, and encourage staff to take action to achieve this change. Work teams collectively choose the strategies they want to implement and promote to stand up, sit less, and move more, with this bespoke and participative approach ensuring the strategies are aligned with the team's needs and existing culture. BeUpstanding has been iteratively developed and optimized through a multiphase process to ensure that it is fit for purpose for wide-scale implementation. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to describe the current version of BeUpstanding, and the methods and protocol for a national implementation trial. METHODS: The trial will be conducted in collaboration with five Australian workplace health and safety policy and practice partners. Desk-based work teams from a variety of industries will be recruited from across Australia via partner-led referral pathways. Recruitment will target sectors (small business, rural or regional, call center, blue collar, and government) that are of priority to the policy and practice partners. A minimum of 50 work teams will be recruited per priority sector with a minimum of 10,000 employees exposed to the program. A single-arm, repeated-measures design will assess the short-term (end of program) and long-term (9 months postprogram) impacts. Data will be collected on the web via surveys and toolkit analytics and by the research team via telephone calls with champions. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance Framework will guide the evaluation, with assessment of the adoption/reach of the program (the number and characteristics of work teams and participating staff), program implementation (completion by the champion of core program components), effectiveness (on workplace sitting, standing, and moving), and maintenance (sustainability of changes). There will be an economic evaluation of the costs and outcomes of scaling up to national implementation, including intervention affordability and sustainability. RESULTS: The study received funding in June 2018 and the original protocol was approved by institutional review board on January 9, 2017, with national implementation trial consent and protocol amendment approved March 12, 2019. The trial started on June 12, 2019, with 48 teams recruited as of December 2019. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation and multimethod evaluation of BeUpstanding will provide the practice-based evidence needed for informing the potential broader dissemination of the program. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12617000682347; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=372843&isReview=true. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/15756.

Sedentary Behavior and Public Health: Integrating the Evidence and Identifying Potential Solutions.

In developed and developing countries, social, economic, and environmental transitions have led to physical inactivity and large amounts of time spent sitting. Research is now unraveling the adverse public health consequences of too much sitting. We describe improvements in device-based measurement that are providing new insights into sedentary behavior and health. We consider the implications of research linking evidence from epidemiology and behavioral science with mechanistic insights into the underlying biology of sitting time. Such evidence has led to new sedentary behavior guidelines and initiatives. We highlight ways that this emerging knowledge base can inform public health strategy: First, we consider epidemiologic and experimental evidence on the health consequences of sedentary behavior; second, we describe solutions-focused research from initiatives in workplaces and schools. To inform a broad public health strategy, researchers need to pursue evidence-informed collaborations with occupational health, education, and other sectors.

Get Healthy, Stay Healthy: Evaluation of the Maintenance of Lifestyle Changes Six Months After an Extended Contact Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Extended intervention contact after an initial, intensive intervention is becoming accepted as best practice in behavioral weight control interventions. Whether extended contact mitigates weight regain in the longer term or it simply delays weight regain until after the extended intervention contact ceases is not clear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate, in multiple ways, maintenance of weight, diet, and physical activity outcomes following Get Healthy, Stay Healthy (GHSH), a text message-delivered extended contact intervention. METHODS: Clients completing the Get Healthy Service (GHS) lifestyle telephone coaching program were randomized to receive GHSH (n=114) or standard care (no additional contact, n=114) and were assessed at baseline (following completion of GHS), 6 months (following completion of GHSH), and 12 months (noncontact maintenance follow-up). At all 3 assessments, participants self-reported their body weight, waist circumference, physical activity (walking and moderate and vigorous sessions/week), and dietary behaviors (fruit and vegetable serves/day, cups of sweetened drinks per day, takeaway meals per week; fat, fiber, and total indices from the Fat and Fiber Behavior Questionnaire). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was also assessed via accelerometry. Maintenance was examined multiple ways: (1) using traditional methods to assess and compare group averages after some period of noncontact (ie, at 12 months), (2) using a novel approach to assess and compare group average changes over the first 6 months of noncontact, and (3) exploring individual participant changes (increase/decrease/no change) over the first 6 months of noncontact. RESULTS: Retention over the 12-month trial was high (92.5%, 211/228). Participants had a mean (SD) age of 53.4 (SD 12.3) years and a baseline body mass index of 29.2 (SD 5.9) kg/m2. The between-group differences detected at 6 months were still present and statistically significant at 12 months for bodyweight (-1.33 kg [-2.61 to -0.05]) and accelerometer-assessed MVPA (24.9 min/week [5.8-44.0]). None of the other outcomes were significantly favored compared with the control group at 12 months. Changes over their first 6 months of noncontact for the GHSH group were significantly better than the control group in terms of accelerometer-measured MVPA and self-reported moderate activity (other differences between the groups were all nonsignificant). In addition to the maintenance seen in the group averages, most intervention participants had maintained their behavioral outcomes during the first 6 months of noncontact. CONCLUSIONS: The GHSH participants were better off relative to where they were initially, and relative to their counterparts, not receiving extended contact in terms of MVPA. However, based on the between-group difference in bodyweight over the first 6 months of noncontact, GHSH does appear to simply delay the inevitable weight regain. However, this delay in weight regain, coupled with sustained improvements in MVPA, has public health benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000949785; https://www.anzctr.org. au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=364821&isReview=true.

Perceptions of an online 'train-the-champion' approach to increase workplace movement.

Prolonged sitting is now recognized as an emergent work health and safety issue. To address the need for a scalable sitting-reduction intervention for workplaces, the BeUpstanding™ Champion Toolkit was developed. This free, online toolkit uses a 'train-the-champion' approach, providing a step-by-step guide and resources to workplace champions to assist them in raising awareness and building a supportive culture to reduce sitting time in their team. This qualitative study explored champion and staff perceptions of the beta (test) version of the toolkit. Seven work teams, from a range of workplace sectors (blue-/white-collar), sizes (small/medium/large) and locations (urban/regional) participated; all team members were exposed to the program (n = 603). Approximately 4 months after program initiation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with all champions (n = 7); focus groups were conducted with a random sample of staff (n = 40). Champions were followed-up again at 12 months (n = 5). Transcripts were coded by two researchers, with codes organized into overarching themes. All champions found the 'train-the-champion' approach, and the toolkit acceptable. Common enablers for intervention delivery included: champion passion for staff health and wellbeing; perceived fit of the program within existing practice; and, management support. Champions and staff reported improvements in knowledge/awareness about sitting, cultural norms, perceived stress, productivity and resilience. Facilitators for sustained change over time included a stable organizational climate and ongoing management support; barriers included workload intensification. The beta version of the BeUpstanding™ Champion Toolkit was highly acceptable to workplace champions and staff, and was perceived to have benefits for team culture and staff knowledge and wellbeing.

Assessing the Feasibility and Pre-Post Impact Evaluation of the Beta (Test) Version of the BeUpstanding Champion Toolkit in Reducing Workplace Sitting: Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: The Web-based, evidence-informed BeUpstanding Champion Toolkit was developed to provide employers (via a "train-the-champion approach") with resources and support to help in reducing prolonged sitting in their own desk-based workplace. As part of a five-phase research-to-dissemination process, this study reports on the evaluation of the beta (test) version of this toolkit (Phase 2). OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to evaluate (1) the implementation of the toolkit by workplace champions and (2) the impact of the toolkit on sitting (primary outcome), standing, and moving; use of activity-promoting strategies; knowledge and attitudes; and indicators of health and work performance. METHODS: An implementation study using a pre-post design was conducted in 7 desk-based workplaces in Australia (September 2015 to May 2016), with work teams (one per workplace) purposively recruited to ensure representation across a range of sectors (white- or blue-collar), organizational sizes (small or medium or large), and locations (metropolitan or regional). All staff within participating teams were invited to participate in the relevant toolkit activities. Implementation outcomes (time commitment required by champions and toolkit activities completed) were collected from each champion via telephone interviews. Changes in impact outcomes, measured via a Web-based questionnaire completed by employees at baseline and 3 months postimplementation, were assessed using mixed models, correcting for clustering. RESULTS: Champions reported a 30-60 minutes per week time commitment to the toolkit activities. All teams formed a wellbeing committee and sent the staff surveys at both time points; most champions held a staff consultation workshop (6/7), identified team-level strategies within that workshop (5/7), used the communication resources provided within the toolkit (emails, posters; 6/7), and completed the action plan (5/7). In total, 52% (315 of ≈600) employees participated in at least one survey and 97 (16%) participated in both. At follow-up, there was a significant (P<.05) reduction in self-reported workplace sitting time compared to baseline (-6.3%, 95% CI -10.1 to -2.5; n=85) equating to ≈30 minutes per workday. Significant benefits were also observed for the use of activity-promoting strategies, with small, nonsignificant changes observed for knowledge and attitudes and indicators of health and work performance. CONCLUSIONS: The beta version of the BeUpstanding Champion Toolkit was feasible to implement and effective in reducing self-reported workplace sitting across a broad range of desk-based workplaces. The next phase (Phase 3) will build on these findings to optimize the toolkit for wider-scale implementation and longer term evaluation.

Telephone-delivered weight management services in the hospital outpatient setting: Decision-makers' perceptions of their use in routine practice.

AIM: Providing effective weight management services to the growing number of overweight or obese hospital patients necessitates long-term service provision; however, it is arguably not within the acute-care hospital remit to provide such extended services. Referral to community-based programs is required to provide continuing weight management services. The Get Healthy Service is a free six-month, telephone-delivered lifestyle program, now offered in several states of Australia with potential for wide population reach. However, health practitioner referral into the service has been low. The study aimed to examine awareness and suitability of the Get Healthy Service for referral of hospital outpatients for weight management, among key health-care decision-makers. METHODS: Nine key decision-makers from metropolitan and rural Queensland Health hospitals took part in semi-structured telephone interviews that were audio-recorded (January-July 2014), transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. RESULTS: Interviews revealed that most decision-makers had limited awareness of the Get Healthy Service but perceived the telephone service to be suitable for patient referrals. Incorporating Get Healthy Service referrals into patient care was seen to be potentially valuable and relatively easy to implement, with most interviewees suggesting that they would provide a Get Healthy Service brochure to patients who could then self-refer into the service. CONCLUSIONS: The Get Healthy Service provides a referral model for weight management service provision that appears feasible for use in Queensland hospital settings. Increased awareness and a more integrated approach to referrals would likely result in improved enrolment to the service, with future research needed to demonstrate this.

Evaluating the Maintenance of Lifestyle Changes in a Randomized Controlled Trial of the 'Get Healthy, Stay Healthy' Program.

BACKGROUND: Extending contact with participants after initial, intensive intervention may support maintenance of weight loss and related behaviors. OBJECTIVE: This community-wide trial evaluated a text message (short message service, SMS)-delivered, extended contact intervention ('Get Healthy, Stay Healthy' (GHSH)), which followed on from a population-level, behavioral telephone coaching program. METHODS: This study employed a parallel, randomized controlled trial: GHSH compared with no continued contact (standard practice). Participants (n=228) were recruited after completing a 6-month lifestyle telephone coaching program: mean age = 53.4 (standard deviation (SD)=12.3) years; 66.7% (152/228) female; mean body mass index (BMI) upon entering GHSH=29.5 kg/m2 (SD = 6.0). Participants received tailored text messages over a 6-month period. The message frequency, timing, and content of the messages was based on participant preference, ascertained during two tailoring telephone calls. Primary outcomes of body weight, waist circumference, physical activity (walking, moderate, and vigorous sessions/week), and dietary behaviors (fruit and vegetable serves/day, cups of sweetened drinks per day, takeaway meals per week; fat, fiber and total indices from the Fat and Fiber Behavior Questionnaire) were assessed via self-report before (baseline) and after (6-months) extended contact (with moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) also assessed via accelerometry). RESULTS: Significant intervention effects, all favoring the intervention group, were observed at 6-months for change in weight (-1.35 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.24, -0.46, P=.003), weekly moderate physical activity sessions (0.56 sessions/week, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.96, P=.008) and accelerometer-assessed MVPA (24.16 minutes/week, 95% CI: 5.07, 43.25, P=.007). Waist circumference, other physical activity outcomes and dietary outcomes, did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The GHSH extended care intervention led to significantly better anthropometric and physical activity outcomes than standard practice (no contact). This evidence is useful for scaling up the delivery of GHSH as standard practice following the population-level telephone coaching program.

Healthy Living after Cancer: a dissemination and implementation study evaluating a telephone-delivered healthy lifestyle program for cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: Given evidence shows physical activity, a healthful diet and weight management can improve cancer outcomes and reduce chronic disease risk, the major cancer organisations and health authorities have endorsed related guidelines for cancer survivors. Despite these, and a growing evidence base on effective lifestyle interventions, there is limited uptake into survivorship care. METHODS/DESIGN: Healthy Living after Cancer (HLaC) is a national dissemination and implementation study that will evaluate the integration of an evidence-based lifestyle intervention for cancer survivors into an existing telephone cancer information and support service delivered by Australian state-based Cancer Councils. Eligible participants (adults having completed cancer treatment with curative intent) will receive 12 health coaching calls over 6 months from Cancer Council nurses/allied health professionals targeting national guidelines for physical activity, healthy eating and weight control. Using the RE-AIM evaluation framework, primary outcomes are service-level indicators of program reach, adoption, implementation/costs and maintenance, with secondary (effectiveness) outcomes of patient-reported anthropometric, behavioural and psychosocial variables collected at pre- and post-program completion. The total participant accrual target across four participating Cancer Councils is 900 over 3 years. DISCUSSION: The national scope of the project and broad inclusion of cancer survivors, alongside evaluation of service-level indicators, associated costs and patient-reported outcomes, will provide the necessary practice-based evidence needed to inform future allocation of resources to support healthy living among cancer survivors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR)--ACTRN12615000882527 (registered on 24/08/2015).

Telephone, print, and Web-based interventions for physical activity, diet, and weight control among cancer survivors: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Broad-reach (non-face-to-face) modalities offer an accessible and cost-effective means to provide behavior change programs in diverse and growing cancer survivor populations. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy of physical activity, dietary, and/or weight control interventions for cancer survivors in which telephone, short-message service, print, and/or Web is the primary method of delivery. METHODS: A structured search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and CENTRAL (May 2013) was conducted. Included studies focused and reported on physical activity (PA) and dietary change and/or weight control in adult cancer survivors, delivered at least 50% of intervention contacts by broad-reach modality and included a control group. Study design, intervention features, and behavioral/weight outcomes were extracted, tabulated, and summarized. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies were included; 22 telephone, three Web, and two print. Sixteen studies targeted PA, two diet, and nine targeted multiple behaviors. Most studies (18/27) targeted a single survivor group, namely breast cancer (n = 12). Nineteen of 27 studies found evidence for initiation of behavior change, with only eight reporting on maintenance and one on cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: This review provides support for broad-reach modalities, particularly the telephone, in the delivery of lifestyle interventions to cancer survivors. Future research should evaluate (1) newer technologies (i.e., SMS and mobile phone applications), (2) interventions for diverse cancer survivors and those targeting multiple behaviors, (3) long-term outcomes, and 4) cost-effectiveness. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Broad-reach lifestyle interventions are effective, with further research needed to evaluate their generalizability and integration into cancer care.

Relationship between intervention dose and outcomes in living well with diabetes--a randomized trial of a telephone-delivered lifestyle-based weight loss intervention.

PURPOSE: To examine associations of intervention dose with weight, physical activity, glycemic control, and diet outcomes in a randomized trial of a telephone counseling intervention. DESIGN: Study design was a secondary analysis of intervention group. SETTING: Study setting was primary care practices in a disadvantaged community in Australia. SUBJECTS: Participants were adult patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 151). INTERVENTION: Up to 27 telephone counseling calls were made during 18 months. MEASURES: Intervention dose was assessed as the number of calls completed (in tertile categories). Primary outcomes were weight and HbA1c, and moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity via accelerometer. Secondary outcomes were dietary energy intake and diet quality via a validated questionnaire. ANALYSIS: Analyses employed were bivariate associations of call completion with sociodemographics, and confounder-adjusted linear mixed models for associations of call completion with outcomes (multiple imputation of missing data). RESULTS: Only previous diagnosis of depression/anxiety had a statistically significant (p = .008) association with call completion. Call completion was significantly associated with weight loss (p < .001) but not the other outcomes (p > .05). Relative to low call completion, mean weight loss (as a percentage of baseline weight) was greater in the high-call completion group by -3.3% (95% confidence interval, -5.0% to -1.5%). CONCLUSION: Increased dose of intervention was associated with greater weight loss. More needs to be done to retain patients for the duration of weight loss and behavior change interventions, particularly those with diabetes and comorbid depression, who were the most difficult to engage.