Table 1 Characteristics of studies investigating associations between sedentary behaviour and stress (alphabetically ordered)
From: The association between sedentary behaviour and indicators of stress: a systematic review
Authors (date) and country | Study design & sample | Sedentary behaviour indicator | Stress indicator | Association (and direction) | Consistency in findings i.e. ≥75% of results in same direction | Methodological quality score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
An, Jang and Kim (2015) [34] Republic of Korea | Cross-sectional n = 4674 Age: ≥20y 58.5% women | Self-report: Total daily sitting (including sitting at work, home, studying and during leisure time); Korean version of IPAQ-SV. | Self-report: Stress symptoms: “Have you felt sad/desperate to the extent it disturbed daily life for more than two weeks during the past year, so much that it disturbed your daily life?” | Total sitting = + | Sitting = + | Moderate |
Anderson, et al. (1996) [33] US | Study A Cross sectional n = 491 Age: 18-88y 54.8% women | Self-report: Total weekly TV viewing. | Self-report: 51-item Life Events Inventory. | TV = 0 | TV = 0 | Weak |
Anderson, et al. (1996) [33] US | Study B Longitudinal n = 651 Age: men = 34.8y, women = 32.8y 50.5% women | Self-report: Weekly TV viewing (calculated from two 10-day TV viewing diaries, recorded one month apart). | Self-report: 51-item Life Events Inventory. | TV (women) = + TV (men) = 0 | TV = +/0 | Weak |
Anderson, et al. (1996) [33] US | Study C Direct observation and longitudinal (survey) n = 140 Age: mid 20s to late 30s 50.7% women | Objective: Time-lapse video of TV and TV viewing areas recorded for 10 continuous days to ascertain when participant was looking at the TV. | Self-report: 51-item Life Events Inventory. | TV (men) = + TV (women) = 0 | TV = +/0 | Weak |
Ashdown-Franks, et al. (2018) [35] China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa | Cross-sectional n = 34,129 Age: ≥50y (mean ± SD = 62.4y ± 16.0) 55.0% women | Self-report: Total mins/day spent sitting/ reclining. | Self-report: Two items of the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale. | Total sitting (adjusted) = + Total sitting (50-64y) = + Total sitting (≥65y) = + | Sitting = + | Moderate |
Depp, et al. (2010) [36] US | Cross-sectional n = 3982 Age: 15-98y (mean ± SD = 51.4 ± 18.0) 61.0% women | Self-report: 15 min ‘episodes’ engaged in TV viewing, as defined in the American Time-Use Survey lexicon. | Self-report: Affective experience: ‘Feeling stressed’ (from the Princeton Affect and Time Survey). | TV = − | TV = − | Weak |
Diaz, et al. (2018) [37] US | Direct observation n = 79 Age: mean ± SD = 31.9y ± 9.5 14.1% women | Objective: Accelerometry. Total sitting time (min/day), and mean sitting bout duration (min/bout). | Self-report: Participants recorded momentary stress (prompted randomly three times/day), and end-of-day (prompted in evening, once/day). Prompts based on Daily Stress Inventory (including work, argument, traffic, deadlines, bills, running late, or other). | Total sitting time: Work = 0 Argument = + Traffic jam = 0 Deadlines = 0 Bills = 0 Running late = − Other stress = 0 | Sitting = 0 | Weak |
Ellingson, et al. (2018) [38] US | Longitudinal n = 271 Age: mean ± SD = 27.8y ± 3.7 49.0% women | Objective: Accelerometry. Total sedentary time (hrs/day); and low (< 10.5 h), medium (10.5–12 h), and high (> 12 h) sub-groups. Sedentary bout duration (< 30 min, ≥30 min). | Self-report: Ten-item Cohen Perceived Stress Scale. | Baseline: Total sitting = 0 Stratified by sitting sub-group = 0 Sitting bout duration < 30 min = 0 Sitting bout duration ≥30 min = 0 Total sitting Δ over time = + (as sedentary behaviour increased over time, stress increased) Total sitting Δ over time (stratified by baseline sedentary behaviour sub-group): Low = + Medium = + High = + (as sedentary behaviour increased over time, stress increased) Sitting bout duration Δ over time: < 30 min = 0 ≥30 min = + | Sitting = +/0 | Weak |
Endrighi, Steptoe and Hamer (2016) [39] UK | Intervention n = 43 Age mean ± SD: 23.86y ± 4.71 (men), 25.73y ± 0.13 (women) 44.2% women | Objective: Accelerometry. Change in total sedentary time (min/day) between treatment (sedentary) and control (usual behaviour) conditions. | Objective: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, salivary cortisol | Total sitting (systolic and diastolic blood pressure) = 0 Total sitting (heart rate) = 0 Total sitting (salivary cortisol) = 0 | Sitting = 0 | Moderate |
Gilson, et al. (2017) [40] Australia | Pilot intervention n = 20 Age: mean ± SD = 37.9 ± 11.6 55.0% women | Objective: Observed three 1.5 h work periods per treatment group: 1) usual chair and desk use, 2) sit–stand desk, and 3) treadmill desk. | Objective: Salivary cortisol. | Occupational sitting (usual chair and desk use) = + | Sitting = + | Weak |
Gubelmann, et al. (2018) [41] Switzerland | Cross-sectional n = 1948 Age: 45-86y 55.0% women | Objective: Accelerometry. Mean time (%) spent sitting (all days). Mean sitting stratified into tertiles, classified as ‘high sedentary behaviour’ if in the highest tertile, and as ‘low sedentary behaviour’ if in the remaining tertiles. | Objective: Salivary cortisol measured at T1 (waking), T2 (30 min after T1), T3 (11:00 am) and T4 (8:00 pm). Mean cortisol and diurnal cortisol slope (Steeper decline tends to be associated with more favourable health outcomes [42]; T4-T1 cortisol divided by number of hours separating T1-T4). | Low vs high mean sitting: Mean cortisol: Adjusted = 0 Awakening cortisol: Adjusted = 0 Diurnal cortisol slope: Adjusted = + | Sitting = 0/+ | Moderate |
Jackson, et al. (2019) [43] UK | Cross-sectional n = 3555 Age: ≥50y (mean ± SD = 68.34 ± 7.86) 66.6% women | Self-report: Mean daily hours TV viewing (combined weekdays and weekend days); < 2 h/day; 2 to< 4 h/day; 4 to< 6 h/day; ≥6 h/day. | Objective: Hair cortisol. | TV (adjusted) = 0 | TV = 0 | Moderate |
Lee and Kim (2018) [44] Republic of Korea | Cross-sectional n = 244 Age: University students (age not reported) 80.0% women | Self-report: Mean hours/day spent engaged in activities that do not increase energy expenditure above resting, i.e. ~ 1.0–1.5 METs (total, week and weekend days). | Self-report: Ten-item Cohen Perceived Stress Scale. | Total sitting (adjusted) = + Week day sitting (adjusted) = + Weekend day sitting (adjusted) = 0 | Sitting = +/0 | Weak |
Mouchacca, Abbott and Ball (2013) [45] Australia | Longitudinal n = 1382 Age: 18-46y (mean ± SD = 35.7 ± 7.7) 100.0% women | Self-report (T1 and T2): Total weekly hours spent sitting (IPAQ-L) and total weekly TV viewing. | Self-report (T1): Four-item Perceived Stress Scale. | TV (baseline) = 0 TV (at follow-up) = + Total weekly sitting (baseline) = 0 Total weekly sitting (follow-up) = 0 | TV = 0/+ Sitting = 0 a Overall SB = 0 | Strong |
Pavić and Rijavec (2013) [46] Croatia | Cross-sectional n = 216 Age: 18-45y (mean ± SD = 26.51 ± 7.63) 100.0% women | Self-report: Total weekly TV viewing. | Self-report: 10-item version of the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale and sub-scales ‘Negative emotions’ and ‘Lack of control’. | TV (overall stress) = + TV (‘Negative emotions’) = + TV (‘Lack of control’) = + | TV = + | Weak |
Pelletier, Lytle, and Laska (2016) [47] US | Cross-sectional n = 441 Age: <21y (50.6%), ≥21 (49.4%) 67.6% women | Self-report: Total daily sitting and reclining (WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire). | Self-report: Four-item Cohen Perceived Stress Scale. | Total daily sitting/reclining = 0 | Sitting = 0 | Weak |
Peterman, et al. (2019) [48] Australia | Intervention n = 231 Age: 18-65y (mean ± SD = 45.6 ± 9.4) 68.0% women | Objective: Accelerometry. Change in mean min spent sitting/8-h workday between treatment (reduced workplace sitting) and control (usual working conditions). | Self-report: Single stress item from the Health and Work Questionnaire (HWQ) | Occupational sitting = 0 | Sitting = 0 | Moderate |
Rebar, et al. (2016) [49] Australia | Cross-sectional n = 1104 Age: mean = 58y 55.0% women | Self-report: Daily sitting in the following contexts: leisure, occupation, computer use, TV, and transport; and overall sitting time (10-item Workforce Sitting Questionnaire). | Self-report: Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). | Transport sitting = + Leisure = 0 Occupational sitting = 0 Overall sitting time = 0 Computer = 0 TV = 0 | Sitting = 0 Computer = 0 TV = 0 a Overall SB = 0 | Moderate |
Ryde, et al. (2019) [50] UK | Cross-sectional n = 77 Age: mean ± SD = 40.8 ± 9.7 78.0% women | Objective: Accelerometry (mean min/day) | Objective: Hair cortisol. Self-report: Ten-item Cohen Perceived Stress Scale. | Occupational sitting (objective stress, adjusted) = 0 Occupational sitting (self-report stress, adjusted) = 0 | Sitting = 0 | Moderate |
Sonnentag and Jelden (2009) [51] Germany | Cross-sectional n = 78 Age: mean ± SD = 43.8y ± 7.7 14.1% women | Self-report: Overall time daily spent engaged in ‘low effort’ activities (e.g. watching TV, reading newspaper, doing nothing). | Self-report: Job stressors: ‘time pressure’, ‘role ambiguity’ and ‘situational constraints’ (from shortened job stressor scales). | Total sitting (‘situational constraints’) = + Total sitting (‘time pressure’) = 0 Total sitting (‘role ambiguity’) = 0 | Sitting = +/0 | Weak |
Sperlich, et al. (2018) [52] Germany | Pilot intervention n = 12 Age: mean ± SD = 22.0y ± 2.0 58.0% women | Objective: Researchers observed participants completing a control or treatment routine. Treatment routine included: T0: Resting lying down for 30 min T1: Consumed breakfast T2: Sitting for one hour T3: Six min HIIT session T4-T7: Sitting for two hours (T4 = 30-, T5 = 60-, T6 = 90-, and T7 = 120-min after HIIT session). Control routine included: T0 and T1 described above, followed by 186 min of sitting. | Objective: Salivary cortisol. Samples collected at T0, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7. | Compared to baseline (T0) measurement (results presented for control group only): T2: Sitting = − T3: Sitting = − T4: Sitting = − T5: Sitting = − T6: Sitting = − T7: Sitting = − | Sitting = − | Weak |
Teychenne, Ball and Salmon (2012) [53] Australia | Cross-sectional n = 1554 Age: 18-65y (mean ± SD = 42.0y ± 12.78) 100.0% women | Self-report: Total weekly TV viewing. | Self-report: Four-item Cohen Perceived Stress Scale. | TV = 0 | TV = 0 | Moderate |
Teychenne, et al. (2018) [54] Australia | Cross-sectional n = 72 Age:18-46y (mean ± SD = 43.5y ± 7.1) 100.0% women | Self-report: Weekly hours engaged in TV viewing, computer use and overall sitting time. | Objective: Hair cortisol. | TV = 0 Computer = 0 Sitting = 0 | TV = 0 Computer = 0 Sitting = 0 a Overall SB = 0 | Moderate |
Uijtdewilligen, et al. (2014) [55] Australia | Longitudinal n = 11,676 Age (mean ± SD): 2000–24.6y ± 1.5; 2003–27.6y ± 1.5; 2006–30.6y ± 1.5; 2009–33.7y ± 1.5 100.0% women | Self-report: Total daily hours sitting on weekdays, and on weekend days. | Self-report: Perceived Stress Questionnaire for Young Women. | Weekday sitting (multivariate) = + Weekend day sitting (multivariate) = + | Sitting = + | Strong |
Vasquez, et al. (2016) [56] US | Cross-sectional n = 4244 Age: 18-74y 62.0% women | Objective: Accelerometry. Mean min/day. Self-report: Global Physical Activity Questionnaire | Self-report: Chronic stress (8-item Chronic Burden scale) and traumatic stress (10-item Traumatic Stress Schedule). | Objective sitting: Chronic stress: Model 3 = + Traumatic stress: Model 3 = + Self-report sitting/reclining: Chronic stress (age and field-centre adjusted) = + Traumatic stress (age and field-centre adjusted) = + | Sitting = + | Weak |
Wang, et al. (2018) [57] Australia | Cross-sectional n = 1481 Age: 31-41y (mean ± SD: men, 36.8 ± 2.5; women, 36.5 ± 2.6) 58.0% women | Self-report: Mean week day and weekend day sitting time (min/day; IPAQ-L). | Self-report: Effort Reward Imbalance 17-item scale. | Self-report sitting Week day sitting: Model 3 (men) = 0 Model 3 (women) = 0 Weekend day sitting: Model 3 (men) = + Model 3 (women) = 0 | Sitting = 0 | Weak |