Associations of physical and social workplace characteristics with movement behaviors at work.

Introduction/Purpose: Sedentary behavior (SB) is common in desk-based work and prolonged periods of SB are associated with negative health outcomes. This study assessed associations between workplace characteristics and setting and movement patterns during working hours. Methods: This secondary analysis used baseline data from the Reducing Sedentary Behavior to Decrease Blood Pressure (RESET BP) clinical trial which enrolled inactive, desk-based workers with elevated blood pressure ( Results: Participants spent 77% of working hours in SB. Public vs. private offices, working in-office vs. at home, higher local connectivity, and greater overall connectedness were associated with lower SB and/or greater PA (all p<0.05). Higher frequency of face-to-face interactions, and greater visibility and proximity to co-workers was associated with less SB and more PA (all p<0.05). For example, home-based workers had more total SB (+17.2±8.4 mins/day), more SB bouts ≥30 mins (+39.1±12.8 mins/day), and less steps (695±201 steps/day) than in-office employees. Stratification by office setting revealed differences in associations between SB and PA and workplace characteristics. Conclusions: More public, open spaces with more social interactions and physical walkways could improve SB and PA patterns during work. Home-based workers had more SB, less PA, and unique associations of these activities with workplace characteristics, suggesting a need for tailored interventions.