A review of trials of interventions that sought to reduce sitting time has found the following strategies, among others, were 'promising':
- having sit-stand desks at work
- keeping records of your sitting time
- setting individual goals for limiting sitting time
- having prompts and cues to remind you to stop sitting
- learning about the health benefits of reducing sitting time
- getting feedback on your behavior
- restructuring your physical and social environment to support the behavior changes
- practising the new behavior
- working out how to solve any problems that arise from shifting to less sitting time
- having social support.
The researchers did note that the overall standard of the studies was poor, so we can't yet point to any clear strategy, but these provide a guide for action. They also noted that the more promising interventions involved a greater number of strategies — in other words, to be successful, you need to tackle this behavior change from a number of angles.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/kcl-sft092115.php
Gardner, B., Smith, L., Lorencatto, F., Hamer, M., & Biddle, S. J. (2016). How to reduce sitting time? A review of behaviour change strategies used in sedentary behaviour reduction interventions among adults. Health Psychology Review, 10(1), 89–112. http://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2015.1082146
