Effects of light‐intensity physical activity on cardiometabolic parameters in young adults with overweight and obesity : The SED‐ACT randomized controlled crossover trial

Title data

Hoffmann, Sascha W. ; Schierbauer, Janis ; Zimmermann, Paul ; Voit, Thomas ; Grothoff, Auguste Maria ; Wachsmuth, Nadine ; Rössler, Andreas ; Lackner, Helmut K. ; Moser, Othmar:
Effects of light‐intensity physical activity on cardiometabolic parameters in young adults with overweight and obesity : The SED‐ACT randomized controlled crossover trial.
In: Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. Vol. 26 (2024) Issue 9 . - pp. 3849-3859.
ISSN 1462-8902
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.15732

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Abstract in another language

Aims: To investigate how a change in body position with light-intensity physical
activity (PA) ‘snacks’ (LIPAS, alternate sitting and standing, walking or standing continuously)
compared with uninterrupted prolonged sitting affects glucose metabolism
and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in young adults with overweight and
obesity.
Materials and Methods: We conducted a four-arm randomized controlled crossover
trial. The following conditions were tested during an 8-h simulated workday: uninterrupted
prolonged sitting (SIT), alternate sitting and standing (SIT-STAND; 2.5 h total),
continuous standing (STAND), and continuous walking (1.0 mph; WALK). The primary
outcome was to investigate how a change in body position (alternate sitting and
standing, walking or standing continuously) compared with uninterrupted sitting
affects mean 8-h glucose metabolism. Secondary outcomes included the effects on
2-h postprandial glucose concentrations, as well as on 8-h/24-h heart rate and HRV
parameters, in the respective study arms. Capillary blood samples were drawn from
an hyperemised earlobe in the fasted state and once every hour during each trial
intervention by puncturing the earlobe with a lancet and collecting 20 μL of blood
(Biosen S-Line Lab+; EKF diagnostics, Barleben, Germany). HRV was assessed for
24 h including the 8-h intervention phase, and a home phase by means of a Holter electrocardiogram. All participants received the same standardized non-relativised
breakfast and lunch during the four trial visits.
Results: Seventeen individuals (eight women, mean age 23.4 ± 3.3 years, body mass
index 29.7 ± 3.8 kg/m2, glycated haemoglobin level 34.8 ± 3.1 mmol/mol [5.4
± 0.3%], body fat 31.8 ± 8.2%) completed all four trial arms. Compared with SIT
(89.4 ± 6.8 mg/dL), 8-h mean glucose was lower in all other conditions (p < 0.05) and
this was statistically significant compared with WALK (86.3 ± 5.2 mg/dL; p = 0.034).
Two-hour postprandial glucose after breakfast was approximately 7% lower for
WALK compared with SIT (p = 0.002). Furthermore, significant time � condition
effects on HRV parameters favouring light-intensity walking were observed
(p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Replacement and interruption of prolonged sitting with light-intensity
walking showed a significant blood glucose-lowering effect and improved HRV during
an 8-h work environment in young adults with overweight and obesity.