270245 Stop, Move, and Get Centered: The centeredbeing "move at your desk" empowerment model for promoting physical, social, and emotional well-being

Monday, October 29, 2012

Suzanne Carmack, PhD(ABD), MFA, MEd, ERYT, PMA-CPT, ACE-CPT , Dept of Communication (GRA) and Dept of Health, Recreationand Tourism (Grad Lecturer), George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Sedentarism (i.e. prolonged bouts of daily sitting behavior) is a global health problem that reaches across multiple geographic, age, education and socioeconomic borders. In a 2011 analysis of three studies of 76 countries and over 300,000 people, it was shown that approximately 21.4% of people worldwide are considered physically inactive, or sedentary. (Dumith, et.al., 2011 and Prumboom, 2011). Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (Fishbein and Ajzen, 2010) and the author's own centered well-being model (Carmack, 2011), the centeredbeing well-being intervention program was designed to address sedentarism across the lifespan. The program encourages participants to engage in chair-based movement at periodic 10 minute bouts throughout the work- or school-day by choosing from among 8 different movement sessions posted publicly on youtube. (http://www.centeredbeing.com/centered_being/Get_Moving__Be_a_cb.html). These free-to-the-public movement sessions integrate mindfulness and breath strategies, and are moderate enough in intensity to be performed without exercise attire (i.e. anytime during the work or school day). While moving, participants see and hear affect-building messages that build positive attitudes and perceived behavioral control for daily movement (anti-sedentarism) and personal empowerment (stress-reduction). Participants are also encouraged to share these videos with office-and school-mates, thereby changing cultural norms and stigma about daily movement in office and school environments. Ultimately, the centeredbeing move-at-your-desk program seeks to change intentions, and ultimately behavior, in populations who are physically inactive/sedentary. Through the combination of daily physical activity/movement, strategies for maintaining "centered" emotional health, and goal-orientation based in communication competence, centeredbeing participants learn to "stop, move, and get centered" in their mind, body and life.

Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Occupational health and safety
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the global health risk of sedentarism, and its prevalence in today's world across all socioeconomic groups across the lifespan; Define the centreredbeing anti-sedentarism program's intentions to (1) combat sedentarism and (2) promote centered well-being; List the three primary constructs of the centeredbeing well-being model (Carmack, 2012): daily physical activity, emotional intelligence and communication competence; Describe each of these primary constructs and their relevance to the conceptualized model of centered well-being, or centeredbeing (Carmack, 2011); Discuss the relationships between the centeredbeing model and an alternative, holistic approach to healthcare and public health program design; Define and discuss strategies for utilizing this model for all attendees (both individuals managing their well-being and public health professionals) at the session's conclusion.

Keywords: Well-Being, Self-Efficacy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: For 20 years, I have been a college educator and applied scholar in movement and performance. I have also led workshops internationally in Yoga, Pilates and Fitness teacher training and program design. I am currently earning a PhD in Health communication at George Mason University. My research addresses the global health risks of sedentarism. My well-being model ("centeredbeing") acknowledges the interrelationships between physical activity, emotional intelligence and communication competence in the establishment of overall well-being.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3079.1: Research, Education, and Practice of Alternative and Complementary Health Practices Poster Session