The aim of the BeUpstanding™ Champion Toolkit project (formerly Stand Up, Sit Less Move More Champion Toolkit) is to develop, user-test, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based workplace sitting reduction resource toolkit. The overarching goal of the project is to launch and sustain the BeUpstanding™ Champion Toolkit as an easily accessible web-based resource freely available to workplaces to reduce sitting time in Australian workers for a happier, healthier workforce.

Our funding partners:
Queensland Government Department of Justice and Attorney General;
Safe work australia;
Comcare;
Lendlease

Our Progress to Date

What we found
Pilot testing of the Toolkit across seven desk-based worksites (across blue and white collar sectors;  n= 236 staff  baseline; 172 staff at 3 months follow-up)  found  that the Toolkit was feasible to implement and Champions found the materials easy to use. The Toolkit was effective at reducing sitting time in & out of the workplace. On average, there was a 7% (95% confidence intervals: -10.7% to -3.0%) reduction in sitting time at the workplace. Importantly, there was a marked (8%, 95% confidence intervals: -13.7% to -0.5%) reduction in time accrued in prolonged sitting.

The Toolkit helped raise awareness and change culture around sitting less and moving more in the workplace. Over 90% of participants were satisfied with the BeUpstanding™ initiative and 100% of worksites intended to continue to support BeUpstanding messages (i.e. to stand up, sit less and move more).

Implications:
This world-first evidence significantly advances the evidence-base regarding sitting time reduction programs by the workplace for the workplace. A planned national launch of the optimised Toolkit is due in 2017.

Publications

Healy G.N., Goode A., Schultz D., Lee D., Leahy B., Dunstan D.W., Gilson N.D., Eakin E.G. The BeUpstanding ProgramTM: Scaling up the Stand Up Australia Workplace Intervention for Translation into Practice. AIMS Public Health. 2016: 3(2); 341-347.

 

Project members

Genevieve Healy

Co-director (CPRC) and Principal Research Fellow

Ana Goode

Research Fellow

Elizabeth Eakin

Centre Director