Objective: In the present study, we examined the effect of working while seated, while standing, or while walking on measures of short-term memory, working memory, selective and sustained attention, and information-processing speed. Background: The advent of computer-based tech- nology has revolutionized the adult workplace, such that average adult full-time employees spend the majority of their working day seated. Prolonged sitting is associated with increasing obesity and chronic health conditions in children and adults. One possible intervention to reduce the negative health impacts of the modern office environ- ment involves modifying the workplace to increase inci- dental activity and exercise during the workday. Although modifications, such as sit-stand desks, have been shown to improve physiological function, there is mixed infor- mation regarding the impact of such office modification on individual cognitive performance and thereby the effi- ciency of the work environment. Method: In a fully counterbalanced randomized con- trol trial, we assessed the cognitive performance of 45 undergraduate students for up to a 1-hr period in each condition. Results: The results indicate that there is no sig- nificant change in the measures used to assess cognitive performance associated with working while seated, while standing, or while walking at low intensity. Conclusion: These results indicate that cognitive performance is not degraded with short-term use of alternate workstations. Keywords: sitting, standing, walking, cognitive func- tion, randomized control trial INTRODUCTION Individuals who spend a large part of their day sitting down are more likely to be over- weight or obese, even if they meet national guidelines for physical activity during their lei- sure time (Brown, Miller, & Miller, 2003; Mum- mery, Schofield, Steele, Eakin, & Brown, 2005). Overweight and obese adults have a significantly elevated risk of chronic and severe health condi- tions in later adulthood, including type 2 diabe- tes, cardiovascular disease, ischemic stroke, and several forms of cancer (National Task Force on the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity, 2000). Negative health consequences are also associ- ated with prolonged time spent seated, including increased musculoskeletal pain, particularly in the shoulders, neck, and lower back (VicHealth, 2012). This musculoskeletal pain is associated with reduced work productivity (Blyth, March, Nicholas, & Cousins, 2003), increased absen- teeism, and impaired quality of life (Rasmussen, Holtermann, Mortensen, & Jorgensen, 2013). In light of the negative consequences of seden- tary behavior on physical health, there is increas- ing interest in exploring the potential benefits of reducing the amount of time per day individuals are engaged in sedentary activities (Cooley & Pedersen, 2013). The single major contributor to the increased proportion of daily living spent engaged in sedentary activity is the workplace, with the increased prevalence of work tasks being performed seated for extended periods. Reducing the proportion of time spent seated in the work- place may reduce the risk of developing chronic health conditions later in life. However, it remains unclear as to whether body position (i.e., standing or sitting) results in a change in cognitive function or work productivity. 605446HFS XX X 10.1177/0018720815605446Month XXXXRCT Workstation Height, Activity and Cognition Address correspondence to Mathew J. Summers, School of Social Sciences (ML32), University of the Sunshine Coast, Locked Bag 4, Maroochydore DC, Queensland 4558, Australia; e-mail: msummers@usc.edu.au. Effect of Standing or Walking at a Workstation on Cognitive Function: A Randomized Counterbalanced Trial Christina Bantoft, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Australia, Mathew J. Summers, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, Peter J. Tranent, Matthew A. Palmer, P. Dean Cooley, and Scott J. Pedersen, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Australia HUMAN FACTORS Vol. 58, No. 1, February 2016, pp. 140–149 DOI: 10.1177/0018720815605446 Copyright © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. at Univ. of Tasmania Library on February 9, 2016 hfs.sagepub.com Downloaded from