The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf War Era Cohort Study: Results From the Thirty-year Follow-up Assessment (April 2026)-The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf War Era Cohort Study: Results From the Thirty-year Follow-up Assessment,

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Gulf War Era Cohort Study: Results From the Thirty-year Follow-up Assessment,

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This mixed-methods study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators impacting 24-hour movement behaviors (24 MBs) — including physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep — among full-time work-from-home (WFH) desk workers. Twenty-seven participants (majority female, White, with bachelor’s/postgraduate degrees) were monitored using thigh-worn accelerometers and wrist-worn actiwatches for 9 days, alongside self-reported questionnaires and participation in five virtual focus groups.<br /><br />Quantitative device data showed low adherence to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines (33.3% met recommendation), and very low adherence to SB guidelines (7.4%). However, most participants met light physical activity (LPA) (85.2%) and sleep duration (65.4%) and consistency guidelines (bed/wake time consistency over 70%). Self-reported PA and SB adherence were higher than device-measured estimates, but sleep measures were consistent across methods.<br /><br />Qualitative analysis of focus groups revealed three key themes influencing 24 MBs: (1) Work Environment Characteristics—including physical workspace constraints (e.g., limited movement, blurred home-work boundaries), social environment factors (e.g., limited incidental social interactions, norms requiring constant online presence), job flexibility and its mixed effects on PA, and access to natural light and outdoor breaks; (2) Support for Healthy Living—highlighting variable family support (with some respecting boundaries and others misunderstanding work demands) and inconsistent employer support (from provision of ergonomic equipment and health benefits to reduced emphasis post-pandemic); (3) Non–Work-Related Influences—such as family and pet care duties which both increased LPA and complicated scheduling, household chores benefiting from flexible WFH, individual self-motivation as vital for leveraging flexibility, challenges with food accessibility leading to increased snacking, and general life stressors affecting behaviors.<br /><br />The study suggests that WFH desk workers often accumulate excessive sedentary time and insufficient MVPA but have relatively healthy sleep patterns. The blended nature of home and work life, social norms around visibility during virtual work, and personal/family obligations uniquely shape movement behaviors in WFH. Interventions to promote healthy 24 MBs should leverage WFH flexibility while enhancing self-efficacy, employer support (e.g., loosening monitoring norms and providing resources), and tailored strategies accounting for personal circumstances like childcare. Future research should validate these findings in more diverse populations and explore longitudinal and intervention studies.<br /><br />Keywords: work from home, desk workers, physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep health, 24-hour movement behaviors, mixed methods.

Keywords

work-from-home (WFH) desk workers

24-hour movement behaviors

moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)

sedentary behavior guidelines

sleep duration and consistency

accelerometer and actigraphy monitoring

mixed-methods study

virtual focus groups

work environment and online presence norms

employer and family support for healthy living