Tailored Counseling to Increase non-exercise Physical Activity in adults with a sedentary job and in their young children: A year-long randomized controlled trial

There is enough evidence that we should change our sedentary behavior. This study aims to show in a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) that simple actions to reduce time in sitting position are viable and that they have health-related benefits.  In intervention the parents commit themselves to the agreed behavioral changes during work, leisure time and weekends. In leisure time and on weekends the change in behavior will be guided to activate also the children. Specific purposes are: 1) To test what is the effectiveness of tailored counseling to minimize inactivity periods and increase physical activity in persons involved in sitting-related work, 2) To test if the counseling can induce long term behavioral changes that benefit health, and 3) To examine what is the effectiveness of parental counseling on children’s physical activity behavior?

Trial registration number

ISRCTN: ISRCTN28668090

 

Publications

1.      Taija Finni, Arja Sääkslahti, Arto Laukkanen, Arto Pesola, Sarianna Sipilä. (2011) A family based tailored counselling to increase non-exercise physical activity in adults with a sedentary job and physical activity in their young children: Design and methods of a year-long randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health 11:944.

2.    Tikkanen O, Haakana P, Pesola AJ, Häkkinen K, Rantalainen T, Havu M, Pullinen T, Finni T. (2012) Muscle Activity and Inactivity Periods during Normal Daily Life. PlosOne, 8:1:e52228.

3.    Sillanpää E, Cheng S, Häkkinen K, Finni T, Walker S, Pesola A, Ahtiainen J, Stenroth L, Selänne H, Sipilä S. (2013) Body composition in 18 to 88-year-old adults - comparison of multifrequency bioimpedance and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Obesity 22:101-9

4. Laukkanen A, Pesola A, Havu M, Sääkslahti A, Finni T. (2014) The relationship between habitual physical activity and gross motor skills is multifaceted in 5-8-year-old children. Scand J Med Sci Sports 24 (2), e102-e110.

5. Tikkanen O, Kärkkäinen S, Haakana P, Kallinen M, Pullinen T, Finni T. (2014) EMG, heart rate and accelerometer as estimators of energy expenditure in locomotion. Med Sci Sports Exerc 46 (9):1931-1939.

6. Laukkanen, A., Finni, T., Pesola, A. & Sääkslahti, A. 2013. Brisk physical activity ensures the development of fundamental motor skills in children – but light is also needed! Liikunta & Tiede 50 (6), 47–52.

7. Pesola AJ, Laukkanen A, Haakana P, Havu M, Sääkslahti A, Sipilä S, Finni T. (2014) Muscle inactivity and activity patterns after sedentary-time targeted RCT. Med Sci Sports Exerc 46 (11) 2122-2131. 

8. Pesola AJ, Laukkanen A, Tikkanen O, Sipilä S, Kainulainen H, Finni T. (2015) Muscle inactivity is adversely associated with biomarkers in physically active adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 47 (6) 1188-96.

9. Laukkanen A, Pesola AJ, Heikkine R, Sääkslahti AK, Finni T. (2015) Family-Based Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Enhancing Physical Activity and Motor Competence in 4-7-Year-Old Children. PLoS One 26 (10):e0141124.

10. Pesola AJ, Laukkanen A, Tikkanen O, Finni T. (2016) Heterogeneity of muscle activity during sedentary behavior. Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism 41(11):1155-1162.

12. Laukkanen, A., Pesola, AJ., Finni, T. & Sääkslahti, A. 2017. Parental Support and Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Children: a Year-Long Cluster Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial. Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport. DOI:10.1080/02701367.2017.1329924

13. Arto J. Pesola, Arto Laukkanen, Risto Heikkinen, Sarianna Sipilä, Arja Sääkslahti, Taija Finni. 2017. Accelerometer-assessed sedentary work, leisure time and cardio-metabolic biomarkers during one year: effectiveness of a cluster randomized controlled trial in parents with a sedentary occupation and young children. PLOS One, accepted

 

PhD thesis

Arto Laukkanen, M.Sc. Family-based tailored intervention to increase physical activity: Association to physical activity and motor skills in 4-6 years old children. Perhelähtöisen liikuntaintervention yhteys 4-6-vuotiaiden lasten fyysiseen aktiivisuuteen ja Motorisiin taitoihin. Time of defense 15.4.2016, University of Jyväskylä.

Arto Pesola, M.Sc. Reducing sitting time in sedentary workers: effects of a year-long RCT on physical activity and health. Time of defense 16.12.2016, University of Jyväskylä.

Related articles in Finnish

 

Taija Juutinen Finni: Lihas lepää pääosan päivää – liikkuvallakin (Muscle rests majority of the day – even in physically active persons). Liikunta ja Tiede 47, 4(10):26-29, 2010

Taija Juutinen Finni: Ne pienet päivittäiset lihasaktiivisuusteot (Those small, daily muscle activity bursts). Liikunta ja Tiede 49, 5(12):41-23, 2012.

Taija Juutinen Finni, Arto Laukkanen, Arto Pesola, Arja Sääkslahti: Arjen pienet valinnat kartuttavat perheen liikuntaa. Liikunta ja Tiede 50, 2-3:32-35, 2013

 

Funding agencies

 

Ministry of Education and Culture & Juho Vainio Säätiö & Ellen, Artturi Nyyssösen säätiö ja Yrjö Jahnssonin säätiö.