Effects of Interrupting Children’s Sedentary Behaviors With Activity on Metabolic Function: A Randomized Trial.

Paper Abstract

Limited data suggest that interrupting sedentary behaviors with activity improves metabolic parameters in adults.

We tested whether interrupting sitting with short, moderate-intensity walking bouts improved glucose tolerance in children.

Participants underwent two experimental conditions in random order on different days: continuous sitting for 3 hours or sitting interrupted by walking (3 min of moderate-intensity walking every 30 min). Insulin, C-peptide, glucose, and free fatty acids were measured every 30 minutes for 3 hours during an oral glucose tolerance test. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated from hormone and substrate measurements. Children were given a buffet meal after each condition.

The study was conducted at the National Institutes of Health Hatfield Clinical Research Center.

Twenty-eight normal-weight 7-11 year olds participated.

Patterns of substrate/hormone secretion and AUC, as well as energy intake, were examined by experimental condition.

Interrupting sitting resulted in a 32% lower insulin AUC (P < .001), 17% lower C-peptide AUC (P < .001), and 7% lower glucose AUC (P = .018) vs continuous sitting. Mixed model results indicated that insulin (P = .036) and free fatty acid concentrations (P = .009) were significantly lower in the interrupted vs the continuous sitting condition. Lunchtime buffet meal energy intake did not significantly differ between the conditions (975 u00b1 387 vs 963 u00b1 309 kcal; P = .85).

Interrupting sedentary time with brief moderate-intensity walking improved short-term metabolic function in non-overweight children without increasing subsequent energy intake. These findings suggest that interrupting sedentary behavior may be a promising prevention strategy for reducing cardiometabolic risk in children.