Intermittent Standing but not a Moderate Exercise Bout Reduces Postprandial Glycemia.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine if 30 minutes of moderate-intensity walking could counteract the negative metabolic effects of prolonged sitting and whether adding intermittent standing further improved outcomes.
Results Summary
Breaking up sitting with standing reduced postprandial glucose responses, while 30 minutes of walking lowered postprandial insulin responses. Combining walking and standing did not show additional benefits beyond walking alone for insulin.
Population
14 physically inactive healthy adult males
Effective Dosage
30-minute moderate-intensity walking bout
Duration
27-hour interventions (9-hour sitting periods)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15-min standing bouts every 30 min during the 9-h sitting (STAND) | decrease | Cumulative postprandial glucose response (incremental area under the curve) | physically inactive healthy adult males | ↓27% | was lower | #1 |
15-min standing bouts every 30 min during the 9-h sitting (STAND) | decrease | postprandial glucose after breakfast on day 1 | physically inactive healthy adult males | ↓40% | decreases | #2 |
15-min standing bouts every 30 min during the 9-h sitting (STAND) | decrease | postprandial glucose after breakfast on day 2 | physically inactive healthy adult males | ↓33% | decreases | #3 |
15-min standing bouts every 30 min during the 9-h sitting (STAND) | no change | postprandial insulin responses | physically inactive healthy adult males | - | did not affect | #4 |
30-min moderate-intensity walking bout followed by 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA) | decrease | Cumulative postprandial insulin response | physically inactive healthy adult males | ↓18% | was lower | #5 |
30-min moderate-intensity walking bout followed by 15-min standing bouts every 30 min during 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA + STAND) | decrease | Cumulative postprandial insulin response | physically inactive healthy adult males | ↓26% | was lower | #6 |
30-min moderate-intensity walking bout followed by 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA) | decrease | postprandial insulin after breakfast on day 1 | physically inactive healthy adult males | ↓36% | decreases | #7 |
30-min moderate-intensity walking bout followed by 15-min standing bouts every 30 min during 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA + STAND) | decrease | postprandial insulin after breakfast on day 1 | physically inactive healthy adult males | ↓43% | decreases | #8 |
Breaking up prolonged sitting with nonambulatory standing across 9 h | decrease | postprandial glycemic response during and the day after the intervention | physically inactive healthy adult males | - | acutely reduced | #9 |
a 30-min MVPA bout | no change | postprandial glycemic response | physically inactive healthy adult males | - | did not | #10 |
PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether minimum recommended moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 30-min bout of continuous moderate-intensity walking) is sufficient to counteract the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting on postprandial metabolism and if there are any effects of breaking up sitting with intermittent standing when achieving minimum recommended MVPA. METHODS: Fourteen (n = 14) physically inactive healthy adult males underwent four intrahospital 27-h interventions: 9-h continuous sitting (SIT), 15-min standing bouts every 30 min during the 9-h sitting (STAND), 30-min moderate-intensity walking bout followed by 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA), and 30-min moderate-intensity walking bout followed by 15-min standing bouts every 30 min during 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA + STAND). Three standardized meals on intervention day (day 1) and breakfast the following day (day 2) were served. RESULTS: Cumulative postprandial glucose response (incremental area under the curve) was lower in STAND versus SIT (↓27%, P = 0.04, effect size [ES] = -0.7) because of decreases in postprandial glucose after breakfast on day 1 (STAND vs SIT: ↓40%, P = 0.01, ES = -0.7) and day 2 (STAND vs SIT: ↓33%, P = 0.06, ES = -0.6). STAND did not affect postprandial insulin responses. Cumulative postprandial insulin response was lower in MVPA versus SIT (↓18%, P = 0.03, ES = -0.3) and MVPA + STAND versus SIT (↓26%, P = 0.02, ES = -0.4) because of expected exercise-induced decreases in postprandial insulin after breakfast on day 1 only (MVPA vs SIT: ↓36%, P = 0.003, ES = -0.7; MVPA + STAND vs SIT: ↓43%, P = 0.0001, ES = -0.8). CONCLUSION: Breaking up prolonged sitting with nonambulatory standing across 9 h acutely reduced postprandial glycemic response during and the day after the intervention independent of insulin levels, whereas a 30-min MVPA bout did not.