Expecting to sit: a two-phase explanatory sequential mixed methods exploration of the social and cultural influences on occupational sitting amongst office-based employees

Abstract

Prolonged sitting has increasingly been recognised as a significant health risk, making the reduction of workplace sitting a growing public health priority. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences and perceived influences that contribute to increased sitting, as a form of sedentary behaviour, during the working day among desk-based employees. In particular the aims were: to explore and identify the amount of time during the working day that employees spend sitting; to examine employee perceptions of how social, cultural and organisational factors influence their time spent sitting during working hours and how this is both reinforced and maintained by these factors; to understand what employees perceive as the barriers and facilitators to movement during the working day; and to explore employee perceptions of how they can influence and control the amount of time spent sitting during working hours.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English