An active sitting chair can increase energy expenditure while performing standardized data entry work.

Abstract

Background: Active sitting chairs have been proposed as an effective approach for reducing sedentary behaviour in the workplace.

Objective: This cross-sectional study evaluated how an active sitting chair altered energy expenditure compared to a traditional office chair during seated computer work.

Methods: Sixteen participants (8M/8F) completed two 20-min sessions of seated standardized computer work in an active sitting chair, with a multiaxial rotating seat pan, and traditional office chair. Metabolic and ventilatory variables were collected with a customized metabolic cart and cardiac variables were collected by a Hexoskin^© shirt. Average ventilatory, metabolic, and cardiac variables from the last 15-min of each block were compared between chairs and sexes.

Results: Statistically significant increases in oxygen uptake (V˙O₂) emerged in active sitting (0.02 L/min; 7.6%), and ultimately led to a 1.5 kcal increase in energy expenditure compared to traditional sitting. Proportional and significant changes in minute ventilation (V˙_E; + 0.9 L/min), heart rate (HR; + 5.8 bpm), and heart rate variability (HRV; -0.05 s) occurred, which further support the greater metabolic demand in active sitting.

Conclusions: A 1.5 kcal per 15-min increase in energy expenditure translates to 6 kcal/hour and 48 kcal/day. Compared to other literature, this change is similar to caloric expenditure when climbing three to six flights of stairs and when using alternative workstation designs (e.g., standing or sitting on a stability ball). An active sitting chair with a multiaxial rotating seat pan and no back support, appears to be a good alternative for increasing energy expenditure at a workstation.