Purpose: Excessive sedentary behaviour is associated with adverse health indicators in adolescents. Nevertheless, adolescents spend the majority of the day sedentary, of which a large amount is accumulated at school whilst sitting in class. Implementing standing desks in the classroom is a possible strategy to reduce sitting in class. To support the implementation, it is needed to not only study the effect of standing desks on sedentary time, but also on cognition, as this is the primary interest of schools. Study aims are (1) evaluating the effect of implementing standing desks in the classroom on adolescents’ cognition and outcomes related to sedentary time, and (2) evaluating the process of implementing standing desks.

Methods: We conducted a clustered controlled trial including 3 control schools and 3 intervention schools from Flanders, Belgium, each with one participating class from the 7^th or 8^th Grade. Pre-test measurements were performed in September-October 2020. Hereafter, 10 standing desks were used for 4-5 weeks in each intervention class. Teachers were asked to make a rotation schedule so the standing desks were used to the maximum. In October-December 2020 post-test measurements were conducted. Sitting time, prolonged sitting time and breaks in sitting time were measured using an Axivity AX3 inclinometer. Cognition was measured using six Cambridge Brain Sciences tasks. Data will be analysed in R using multilevel linear models. Focus groups with pupils were performed to evaluate the process of implementing standing desks. Data are analysed via NVivo.

Results: 120 pupils (12.91±0.63y, 57.5% boys) participated in the study. Effects on the cognitive tasks (double trouble, spatial planning, token search, monkey ladder, spatial span and digit span) and sedentary outcomes will be presented at the conference. Pupils indicated to enjoy alternating between sitting and standing. They also indicated that their preference to use standing desks depends on (the time of) the day, the course and its content.

Conclusion: Standing desks are generally well accepted by secondary school pupils. If using standing desks has positive effects, or at least no detrimental effects, on pupils’ cognition, this could be an important factor to persuade school staff for using standing desks.

Purpose: With extensive research emphasizing the health risks of prolonged sedentary behavior (SB), we explored the effects of standing versus sitting in university tutorial group meetings on overall physical activity behavior (PAB) and learning. Because previous studies showed that light physical activity (LPA) may enhance learning-related physiological mechanisms, other than hypothesizing that overall PAB would improve, we hypothesized that standing tutorial group meetings would lead to better learning.

Methods: In this exploratory, longitudinal, and randomized controlled trial, 96 first-year students were randomly allocated to a Sit/Stand group, with 2-hour tutorial group meetings scheduled, once/twice per week, for nine weeks. PAB was measured using the activPAL3™ triaxial activity monitor, analyzed with generalized linear mixed models. Learning was evaluated using exam grades, audio-recorded tutorial interactions, and concept maps. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare exam grades between groups. The tutorial interactions were coded as learning-oriented interactions (exploratory questioning, cumulative reasoning, or handling of conflict) or non-learning-oriented interactions (procedural or off-task). Marginal models and factorial ANOVAs were used to analyze the concept maps’ data.

Results: Both on tutorial and non-tutorial days in week 4-5, the stand group (n = 41) showed less SB (β = -0.092, SE = 0.044, 95% CI: -0.179, -0.006) and more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (β = 0.320, SE = 0.160, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.635) compared to the sit group (n = 36). On tutorial days, the stand group showed more LPA than the sit group (p < .001, d = 1.04).

The average exam grade of the Stand group (6.5 ± 1.6, on a 10-point scale) was higher than the Sit group (5.8 ± 1.6), but the difference only approached significance, U = 1130.0, z = 1.80, p = .071, r =.20. Additionally, the use of learning-oriented interactions appeared to be similar in both tutorial group meetings. As for the concept maps, post-hoc simple effects analyses showed no significant group differences at most time points, p’s >.05, Bonferroni-corrected.

Conclusions: Offering standing tutorial group meetings to university students is a recommended solution to break up prolonged SB and encourage more physical activity, while maintaining the learning performance of students.

Sedentary time is high in Dutch vocational education and training (VET) students, approximately 80% of VET students have an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle, a large part of sedentary time is due to sitting in school. Breaking up sedentary behavior is associated with an increase in student mental wellbeing, but research in the VET setting is limited. Therefore, physical activity (PA) patterns in relation to student mental wellbeing in VET students should be investigated, as well as the possibility of using “sit-to-stand” (StS) desks to break up sedentary behavior (SB)in the VET setting.

In a cross-sectional study, the associations between accelerometer-measured PA patterns (SB, low intensity PA (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA)) and student mental wellbeing (depressive symptoms and self-esteem questionnaires) in VET students (n=100) was studied. Furthermore, in semi-structured focus group interviews (n=33) the opinions of VET students regarding (1) usage of the standing option of the desks (2) reasons for standing in class (3) experienced effect of standing behind the desk, and (4) fostering future StS desks usage were assessed. Findings were analyzed using deductive content analysis.

Multiple regression analyses showed that higher LPA is significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms (p=.008). A similar, but borderline significant association was found for MVPA (p=.056). Higher LPA is also significantly associated with higher self-esteem (p=.026). SB is not significantly related to student mental wellbeing. Focus group interviews showed that VET students are aware of the potential benefits of using StS desks. However, they need to be actively stimulated and motivated by teachers to use them. In addition, time is needed for standing to become a habit.

Thus, because LPA is associated with higher student mental wellbeing, it is important to break-up SB. Therefore, breaking up SB by implementing StS desks may result in higher levels of LPA, which in turn can decrease depressive symptoms and increase self-esteem. To implement such desks in the VET setting, all stakeholders (i.e., students, teachers, schoolboards) should be actively involved in stimulating the healthy behavior of VET students.