Interrupting Sedentary Time in the Workplace Using Regular Short Activity Breaks: Practicality From an Employee Perspective.

Abstract

To understand the practicalities of undertaking 2 to 3 minutes of light to moderate intensity physical activity after every 30 minutes of prolonged sitting by examining barriers and facilitators. Around 27 (n = 22 women) employees working in higher education who sat for greater than 5 hours during a work day participated in a focus group discussion. Through inductive thematic analysis, themes characterising workplace culture and having the knowledge (or not) of benefits were found to be a facilitator and a barrier. Additional barriers were a perceived reduction in work productivity and specific work tasks that precluded taking activity breaks. Extrinsic motivators and prompts were suggested to facilitate participation. Environmental and individual strategies are required to build capability, opportunity, and motivation for undertaking regular activity breaks and should inform the development of an ecologically valid workplace intervention.