Search Results (53)

Background: This study used inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based posture angle estimates to define proxy risk labels and investigated whether these labels can be predicted from demographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle variables through machine learning analysis. Methods: Thirty healthy individuals aged 18–25 years were included. Demographic and anthropometric data and information on daily living activities were collected. The IMU sensors were placed at vertebral levels C1, C7, T5, T12, and L5. Participants were instructed to stand in an upright posture, followed by a relaxed daily posture. Anatomic postural changes between these positions were analyzed. Cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and scoliosis risks were predicted using machine learning algorithms, including Random Forest (RF) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Results: Incorrect postures during desk work and phone use were associated with an increased likelihood of posture-related deviations, such as cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis. Conversely, daily physical activity reduced these deviations. Using LOSO and stratified cross-validation with imbalance handling, balanced accuracies ranged between 0.55 and 0.82 across targets, with majority-class baselines between 0.53 and 0.87. For cervical lordosis risk, RF achieved a 0.82 balanced accuracy (95% CI: 0.74–0.97), while other categories showed a moderate but consistent performance. AUPRC values exceeded baseline levels across all models. Conclusions: IMU-based posture angle estimates can be used to identify posture-related risk categories. In this study, ML models have demonstrated predictive relationships with demographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle variables. These findings provide exploratory evidence based on IMU-derived proxy labels in a small cohort of healthy young adults. They represent exploratory indicators of postural deviation rather than clinical outcomes and may motivate future studies on preventive strategies. Importantly, the results remain underpowered relative to the a priori power targets and should be interpreted qualitatively. Full article

This study investigates the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in individuals performing standing tasks, with a focus on real-time posture assessment using motion capture technology. Improper body posture and repetitive movements during daily work activities can impose strain on the musculoskeletal system, increasing the likelihood of discomfort and long-term injury. Data were collected from five male and female participants using the Perception Neuron motion capture system, with body-mounted sensors tracking posture and movement. Joint angles were calculated to distinguish between correct and incorrect postures based on ISO 11226:2000 ergonomic guidelines. Key physical risk factors identified included prolonged forward trunk inclination, elevated arm positions, and repetitive actions. The analysis revealed that participants frequently adopted moderate- to high-risk postures, especially when working at non-ergonomic desk heights, suggesting a heightened risk of MSDs such as back and upper limb pain. These findings underscore the importance of real-time ergonomic monitoring and adaptive workstation design to reduce musculoskeletal risks in standing work environments. Full article

The pandemic spared most children and adolescents in Ghana from severe clinical disease, but it exposed long-standing gaps in services and protection methods. Methods: We conducted a desk-based narrative review of peer-reviewed studies, national and international reports, and grey literature from January 2020 to May 2025. The evidence was organised across eight domains of child and adolescent well-being. Across mental health, gambling and other risky behaviours, access to health services, economic hardship and child labour, nutrition, education, early childhood development, and WASH, the pandemic disrupted essential services and social safety nets. Examples include declines in routine care and immunisation, wider digital exclusion during remote learning, a rise in child labour linked to income loss, and persistent hygiene constraints. Preparedness in Ghana should focus on mental health, digital inclusion, early childhood services, and strong social protection. Ghana’s specific empirical data are uneven, so we triangulate peer-reviewed evidence with official reports, appraised the grey literature, and calibrated claims to the strength of sources. Full article

Forward head posture is common among office workers who sit for long periods of time and is one of the main causes of neck pain. This study aimed to assess the effects of utilizing a standing desk on the craniovertebral angle, muscle fatigue, work performance, and discomfort in individuals with forward head posture. Twenty-four participants meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either a traditional desk group (n = 12) or a standing desk group (n = 12). Each group engaged in 30 min of computer typing. To evaluate the impact of posture change using a standing desk, pre- and post-experiment discomfort surveys were conducted, and the craniovertebral angle and muscle fatigue were measured throughout the experiment. Work performance was assessed post-experiment based on the work completed by the participants. Intra-group analysis of the craniovertebral angle showed a significant decrease in the traditional desk group (p < 0.05) and a significant increase in the standing desk group (p < 0.05). When comparing the craniovertebral angle between the two groups, a significant difference was observed (p < 0.05). Additionally, significant differences in muscle fatigue, particularly in the levator scapulae muscles, were observed between the two groups (p < 0.05). The traditional desk group reported increased discomfort in the neck and shoulders (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that utilizing a standing desk can positively impact posture, reduce muscle fatigue, and alleviate discomfort in individuals with forward head posture, potentially serving as an intervention to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. Full article

Studies indicate that natural wooden materials positively affect students’ well-being in classrooms. In addition, students spend a considerable amount of their time in classrooms predominantly seated, making school interiors a suitable place to reduce sedentary behaviors of children. A mixed team of experts in human factors, architecture, design and engineering designed a prototype wooden standing desk for indoor use and formed focus groups with students and teachers to gather feedback on the development process and to evaluate the suitability of the prototype. The prototype desk was well received by the primary school teachers and students. The students appreciated plywood as the main material for the construction of the desk; however, they criticized that the wooden tabletop should be more resistant. The height adjustability of the desk and the tiltable tabletop were the most appreciated features of the prototype. Further studies should be conducted to investigate the optimal material, shape and color of the school desk, especially the tabletop, and additional efforts should be made to design furniture that promotes a less sedentary classroom and improves students’ well-being at school. Full article

Personal Comfort Systems (PCSs) have emerged as an innovative solution to address variable individual conditions that traditional comfort models excluded. This study investigates the impact of the simultaneous application and use of three PCSs in real office environments on an occupant’s thermal, light, and air quality perception and seeks to understand different environmental stimuli behind personal actions and behaviors. It uses qualitative and quantitative monitoring of specific environmental conditions and individual actions of 72 participants in four office buildings in different climatic zones of Chile in summer and winter. The PCSs tested differ in their costs, technological level, usability, and portability. The results show that 85.5% improved their perceived comfort by using the PCSs, although not from simultaneous use, but rather from the use of one system over another. The desk fan stands out as having the highest acceptance and utilization rate. However, certain environmental conditions cause opposite actions: limited lighting control or little daylight causes the fan to be turned on. The present study’s data could contribute to a new environmental comfort model for shared office spaces, fostering significant improvements in occupant satisfaction and energy efficiency. This practical and scientific research is of interest to architects, designers, and stakeholders from the construction production field. Full article

Lower back pain, a common issue among pregnant women, often complicates daily activities like standing up from a chair. Therefore, research into the standing motion of pregnant women is important, and many research studies have already been conducted. However, many of these studies were conducted in highly controlled environments, overlooking everyday scenarios such as using a desk for support when standing up, and their effects have not been adequately tested. To address this gap, we measured multimodal signals for a sit-to-stand (STS) movement with hand assistance and verified the changes using a t-test. To avoid imposing strain on pregnant women, we used 10 non-diseased young adults who wore jackets designed to simulate pregnancy conditions, thus allowing for more comprehensive and rigorous experimentation. We attached surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors to the erector spinae muscles of participants and measured changes in muscle activity, skeletal positioning, and center of pressure both before and after wearing a Maternity-Simulation Jacket. Our analysis showed that the jacket successfully mimicked key aspects of the movement patterns typical in pregnant women. These results highlight the possibility of developing practical strategies that more accurately mirror the real-life scenarios met by pregnant women, enriching the current research on their STS movement. Full article

Allotment gardening as element of green infrastructure and integral part of urban agriculture supports the city’s sustainable development and builds urban resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to revisit allotment gardening in a situation of unprecedented health crisis. Therefore, this study aims to recognise the importance of allotment gardens during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poznań (Poland), a city with a ‘famine of plots’ observed for years. A survey was conducted among allotment holders who had acquired plots during the course of the pandemic and in-depth interviews were conducted with the president of the Polish Allotment Federation of Poznań and the managers of the allotment gardens wherein we had identified the highest proportion of new allotment holders. Information was collected during field research, also using available statistical data. The methods used included desk research and a case study, interviews and a survey. The results of the study show that the pandemic caused a renaissance in allotment gardening. The increased interest in allotments triggered an increase in their price, thus further restricting access. A generational change in the allotment community was also noted, with young people appearing on allotments. However, the survey showed no change in the use of allotments: recreation is still their dominant function, with allotment holders focusing on cleaning and renovation work. For new allotment holders, the plot was a green refuge in times of isolation, a place for contact with nature, loved ones and family, and a safe space for relaxation. Our research indicates that allotment holders also appreciated its positive impact on their physical and mental health.. Moreover, the study indicates that despite the long-standing shortage of allotments in the city, only restorative allotment gardens are being created. Full article

In the past decade, university students have become more sedentary. A sedentary lifestyle is associated with an increased risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Methods that decrease sedentary lifestyles, such as the use of standing desks to increase physical activity, have been extensively examined. However, the effects of postprandial standing and sitting on energy metabolism have not yet been compared. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of standing after a meal on energy expenditure and glucose metabolism. Ten males participated in the present study. The experiment was initiated with 300 g of rice ingested as a carbohydrate load. The subjects maintained a standing or sitting position for 120 min after the meal. Energy expenditure was calculated from VO₂ and VCO₂ using the indirect calorimetry method. Glucose metabolism was assessed by measuring blood glucose levels and the exogenous glucose metabolic rate. Energy expenditure through standing after eating was approximately 0.16 ± 0.08 kcal/min higher than that through sitting. Blood glucose dynamics did not significantly differ between the standing and sitting positions. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the dynamics of the exogenous glucose metabolic rate between the standing and sitting positions. Standing for 2 h after a meal increased energy expenditure by 10.7 ± 4.6% without affecting glucose metabolism. Full article

Sedentary behavior (SB) is an important public health concern. Adults working in desk-based occupations spend a considerable proportion of the workday sitting. More information is needed regarding the factors that contribute to occupational SB. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of social cognitive theory (SCT) to explain work-related SB using a quantitative, cross-sectional design by administering an online questionnaire. Participants included 381 full-time employees at a large, public university in the south-central United States. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to determine the relationship between SCT constructs and SB. Mean work-related SB was 5.95 (SD = 1.30) h/8 h workday. In model 1, 9.6% of the total variance in SB was accounted for by standing desk ownership and physical activity level (p = 0.001; R2 = 0.096). In model 2, SCT constructs led to a statistically significant R² increase of 4.9% (p < 0.001), where standing desk ownership, physical activity, and self-efficacy explained 13.3% of the variance in work-related SB. Findings from this study suggest that self-efficacy may be an important factor in explaining variation in occupational SB. Public health researchers and practitioners should consider strategies to address self-efficacy when developing workplace interventions to target occupational SB. Full article

College students can be sedentary for a majority of the day, which may exacerbate mental health issues or lead to declines in cognitive task performance; however, interventions to address sedentary behaviors may not positively influence everyone. Therefore, the present study sought to identify inter-individual cognitive performance and mood changes of college students during the performance of a cognitive task battery, while seated, standing and with intermittent bouts of walking. Participants (n = 31, age = 25.80 ± 3.61 yrs, 7 male) completed a series of baseline questionnaires including the Trait Mental and Physical Energy and Fatigue survey. Using a randomized controlled cross-over design, participants completed 3 separate testing sessions. At each session, they performed a series of three rounds of cognitive tasks for 27 min and self-reporting mood states for 1 min in the seated position. Each round of cognitive testing was followed by a 2 min break. Each testing day had participants spend the 2 min break in a different condition: sitting, standing, or walking. A series of mixed ANOVAs were used for the primary analysis and a combination of machine learning regressors and classifiers were used for the secondary analysis. Our results suggest that there are unique inter-individual responses to each of the interventions used during the 2 min break. Participants who were low-trait mental and low-trait physical energy benefited the most from the standing desk intervention, while also reporting significant benefits of intermittent walking. However, participants who were low-trait mental fatigue had significant negative consequences of using both standing desks and walking intermittently, while those who were high-trait mental fatigue saw no change in cognitive responses or moods in those conditions. Post hoc machine learning analyses had modest accuracy rates (MAEs < 0.7 for regressors and accuracy rates >60% for classifiers), suggesting that trait mental and physical energy and fatigue may predict inter-individual responses to these interventions. Incorporating standing desks into college classroom settings may result in some students receiving cognitive benefits when inter-individual variability in mood and cognitive responses are accounted for. Full article

Travellers may be exposed to a wide range of different air pollutants during their journeys. In this study, personal exposures within vehicles and during active travel were tested in real-world conditions across nine different transport modes on journeys from London Paddington to Oxford City Centre, in the United Kingdom. The modes tested covered cycling, walking, buses, coaches, trains and private cars. Such exposures are relevant to questions of traveller comfort and safety in the context of airborne diseases such as COVID-19 and a growing awareness of the health, safety and productivity effects of interior air quality. Pollutants measured were particle number (PN), particle mass (PM), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), using devices carried on or with the traveller, with pumped sampling. Whilst only a relatively small number of journeys were assessed—inviting future work to assess their statistical significance—the current study highlights where a particular focus on exposure reduction should be placed. Real-time results showed that exposures were dominated by short-term spikes in ambient concentrations, such as when standing on a train platform, or at the roadside. The size distribution of particles varied significantly according to the situation. On average, the coach created the highest exposures overall; trains had mixed performance, while private cars and active transport typically had the lowest exposures. Sources of pollutants included both combustion products entering the vehicle and personal care products from other passengers, which were judged from desk research on the most likely source of each individual compound. Although more exposed to exhaust emissions while walking or cycling, the active traveller had the benefit of rapid dilution of these pollutants in the open air. An important variable in determining total exposure was the journey length, where the speed of the private car was advantageous compared to the relative slowness of the coach. Full article

Sedentary behaviours continue to increase and are associated with heightened risks of morbidity and mortality. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of SMART Work & Life (SWAL), an intervention designed to reduce sitting time inside and outside of work, both with (SWAL-desk) and without (SWAL-only) a height-adjustable workstation compared to usual practice (control) for UK office workers. Health outcomes were assessed in quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) and costs in pound sterling (2019–2020). Discounted costs and QALYs were estimated using regression methods with multiply imputed data from the SMART Work & Life trial. Absenteeism, productivity and wellbeing measures were also evaluated. The average cost of SWAL-desk was £228.31 and SWAL-only £80.59 per office worker. Within the trial, SWAL-only was more effective and costly compared to control (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER): £12,091 per QALY) while SWAL-desk was dominated (least effective and most costly). However, over a lifetime horizon, both SWAL-only and SWAL-desk were more effective and more costly than control. Comparing SWAL-only to control generated an ICER of £4985 per QALY. SWAL-desk was more effective and costly than SWAL-only, generating an ICER of £13,378 per QALY. Findings were sensitive to various worker, intervention, and extrapolation-related factors. Based on a lifetime horizon, SWAL interventions appear cost-effective for office-workers conditional on worker characteristics, intervention cost and longer-term maintenance in sitting time reductions. Full article

The purpose of this secondary analysis was to assess whether students’ use of stand-biased desks during the school day influenced physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors (SB) during the afterschool period. By using a crossover design consisting of two 9-week intervention periods, 99 participants from grades 3, 4, and 6 were randomly assigned by their teacher to either a traditional (Group 1; sit–stand) or stand-biased (Group 2; stand–sit) desk in the classroom. The desk type then switched between intervention periods. Afterschool PA and SB were measured by accelerometry at baseline (fall) and following both intervention periods at post I (winter) and post II (spring). Independent sample t-tests and mixed-effects modeling were applied at a significance value of p < 0.05 to detect differences between groups. No significant differences in afterschool SB, light-intensity PA (LPA), or moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) were found between groups. There were also no significant two- or three-way interaction effects detected between desk assignment, time, and afterschool SB, LPA, or MVPA. Stand-biased desks in the classroom were not detrimental to children’s afterschool PA and SB. Full article

Sedentary behavior negatively impacts mental health, which can decrease employee productivity. Employee mental well-being and work performance may improve with sedentary reduction interventions, especially strategies that include environmental workplace modifications and behavior-changing strategies. However, such interventions have not been examined among employees working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Stand Up Kansas program, 95 sedentary university employees working from home were randomized into one of four intervention arms: height-adjustable desk provision (Desk Only), online sedentary behavior modification program (Program Only), Desk + Program, or Control. The outcomes were measured at a baseline (November 2020) and following the 12-week intervention (February 2021). Employees reported mood (positive and negative affect), stress, fatigue (duration, interference with activities and severity) and work performance (irritability, focus, work satisfaction, non-work satisfaction and productivity) were measured using established self-report instruments. The effect sizes, by comparing the Control arm to the Desk + Program arm, revealed large improvements in mood (positive affect, d = 1.106). Moderate improvements were also seen in fatigue (duration, d = −0.533, and interference with activities, d = −0.648) and several aspects of work performance (focus, d = 0.702, work satisfaction, d = 0.751, and productivity, d = 0.572). Moderate effect sizes were also seen for positive affect (d = 0.566) and fatigue severity (d = 0.577) among the Program Only arm, whereas no noteworthy effect sizes were observed among the Desk Only arm. Combining an online sedentary behavior modification program with height-adjustable desk provisions appeared to positively affect mental well-being and work performance among remote employees. Full article