Interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent short bouts of light-intensity activity in people with type 1 diabetes improves glycaemic control without increasing hypoglycaemia: The SIT-LESS randomised controlled trial.
Study Goal
To examine the impact of interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent short bouts of light-intensity walking on glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes.
Results Summary
Interrupting sitting with 3-minute walking bouts every 30 minutes significantly improved glycaemic control, reducing mean glucose levels, increasing time in the target range, and decreasing hyperglycaemia without increasing hypoglycaemia risk. These benefits persisted during both experimental and free-living conditions.
Population
32 inactive adults with type 1 diabetes (aged 27.9 ± 4.7 years, 15 men, diabetes duration 16.0 ± 6.9 years).
Effective Dosage
3-minute bouts of self-paced walking at 30-minute intervals.
Duration
7-hour experimental conditions with 48-hour follow-up.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
interrupted sitting with 3-min bouts of self-paced walking at 30-min intervals (SIT-LESS) | decrease | total mean glucose | inactive adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) | SIT 8.2 ± 2.6 vs. SIT-LESS 6.9 ± 1.7 mmol/L | reduced | #1 |
interrupted sitting with 3-min bouts of self-paced walking at 30-min intervals (SIT-LESS) | increase | time in range (3.9-10.0 mmol/L) | inactive adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) | by 13.7% (SIT 71.5 ± 9.5 vs. SIT-LESS 85.1 ± 7.1%) | increased | #2 |
interrupted sitting with 3-min bouts of self-paced walking at 30-min intervals (SIT-LESS) | decrease | hyperglycaemia (>10.0 mmol/L) | inactive adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) | by 15.0% (SIT 24.2 ± 10.8 vs. SIT-LESS 9.2 ± 6.4%) | reduced | #3 |
interrupted sitting with 3-min bouts of self-paced walking at 30-min intervals (SIT-LESS) | no change | hypoglycaemia exposure (<3.9 mmol/L) | inactive adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) | SIT 4.6 ± 3.0 vs. SIT-LESS 6.0 ± 6.0% | was comparable | #4 |
interrupted sitting with 3-min bouts of self-paced walking at 30-min intervals (SIT-LESS) | decrease | glycaemic variability (coefficient of variation %) | inactive adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) | by 7.8% | reduced | #5 |
interrupted sitting with 3-min bouts of self-paced walking at 30-min intervals (SIT-LESS) | increase | experimental and free-living postprandial, whole-day and night-time glycaemic outcomes | inactive adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) | - | improving | #6 |
interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent short bouts of light-intensity activity | increase | acute postprandial and 48-h glycaemia | adults with T1D | - | improves | #7 |
interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent short bouts of light-intensity activity | decrease and increase | sedentariness and physical activity levels | adults with T1D | - | is an efficacious approach to reducing sedentariness and increasing physical activity levels without increasing risk of hypoglycaemia | #8 |
AIM: To examine the impact of interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent short bouts of light-intensity activity on glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 32 inactive adults with T1D [aged 27.9 ± 4.7 years, 15 men, diabetes duration 16.0 ± 6.9 years and glycated haemoglobin 8.4 ± 1.4% (68 ± 2.3 mmol/mol)] underwent two 7-h experimental conditions in a randomised crossover fashion with >7-day washout consisting of: uninterrupted sitting (SIT), or, interrupted sitting with 3-min bouts of self-paced walking at 30-min intervals (SIT-LESS). Standardised mixed-macronutrient meals were administered 3.5 h apart during each condition. Blinded continuous glucose monitoring captured interstitial glucose responses during the 7-h experimental period and for a further 48-h under free-living conditions. RESULTS: SIT-LESS reduced total mean glucose (SIT 8.2 ± 2.6 vs. SIT-LESS 6.9 ± 1.7 mmol/L, p = .001) and increased time in range (3.9-10.0 mmol/L) by 13.7% (SIT 71.5 ± 9.5 vs. SIT-LESS 85.1 ± 7.1%, p = .002). Hyperglycaemia (>10.0 mmol/L) was reduced by 15.0% under SIT-LESS (SIT 24.2 ± 10.8 vs. SIT-LESS 9.2 ± 6.4%, p = .002), whereas hypoglycaemia exposure (<3.9 mmol/L) (SIT 4.6 ± 3.0 vs. SIT-LESS 6.0 ± 6.0%, p = .583) was comparable across conditions. SIT-LESS reduced glycaemic variability (coefficient of variation %) by 7.8% across the observation window (p = .021). These findings were consistent when assessing discrete time periods, with SIT-LESS improving experimental and free-living postprandial, whole-day and night-time glycaemic outcomes (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Interrupting prolonged sitting with frequent short bouts of light-intensity activity improves acute postprandial and 48-h glycaemia in adults with T1D. This pragmatic strategy is an efficacious approach to reducing sedentariness and increasing physical activity levels without increasing risk of hypoglycaemia in T1D.