Effect of smartwatch and break-reminder with exercises application on cardiometabolic risk and cognition in office workers: a single group pre-posttest design

Abstract

Background: Physical inactivity and prolonged sitting at work can increase risk of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) and cognitive decline. This study aimed to determine the effect of a six-month physical activity (PA) promotion program on CMRFs and cognitive function in office workers. Methods: Eighty-seven office workers aged 20–59 years, with ≥ 2 years of work experience and ≥ 4 h/day of sitting, volunteered to participate in this study. The PA promotion program used a smartwatch to encourage moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and walking over a six-month period, combined with a break-reminder exercise application installed on participants’ computers in the last two months period. Obesity measurements, lipid profiles test, and cognitive function tests were assessed at baseline, four and six months. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni correction was used for analysis. Results: The results demonstrated significant improvements in waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), lipid profiles (HDL-C, LDL-C, and total cholesterol [TC]), and cognitive function, particularly in attention and executive domains over the six-month period. The mean difference in WHtR between the 3rd vs. 1st assessments was − 0.007 ± 0.003. LDL-C levels showed a significant reduction of − 7.34 mg/dL (95% CI: −12.09 to − 2.58) when comparing the 3rd vs.2nd assessment. In addition, HDL-C levels increased significantly by + 2.84 mg/dL (95% CI: +0.82 to + 4.87) at six months compared with baseline. Conclusion: This preliminary pre-posttest study demonstrated that the use of a smartwatch and a break-reminder exercise application promoted MVPA and walking, reduced sitting time at work (by 42.9 min/day), and improved CMRFs and cognitive function among office workers. However, future studies should focus on implementing smartwatch- and application-based tools to enhance personal engagement and facilitate long-term self-monitoring, while integrating environmental strategies to encourage sustainable behavioral change and promote workplace safety.