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Effects of manipulating sedentary behavior on physical activity and food intake
Leonard H Epstein1, Rocco A Paluch, Angela Consalvi
1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, New York 14214, USA.
Insights
Increasing sedentary behaviors significantly impacts children's energy balance, leading to higher energy intake and expenditure. Reducing sedentary time did not show similar effects, suggesting increased sedentary behavior is a key factor in energy balance modification for youth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric obesity research
- Behavioral science and public health
Background:
- Sedentary behaviors are linked to obesity in children.
- Understanding the relationship between sedentary behavior, energy intake, and physical activity is crucial for developing effective obesity prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between changes in sedentary behaviors and subsequent alterations in energy intake and physical activity levels in children.
- To determine if increasing or decreasing sedentary behaviors influences energy balance.
Main Methods:
- An experimental within-subject crossover design was employed.
- Thirteen nonobese children aged 8-12 years participated in three 3-week phases: baseline, increased sedentary behavior, and decreased sedentary behavior.
- Sedentary behaviors were tracked via activity logs, physical activity using accelerometers, and energy intake through 24-hour recalls.
Main Results:
- Children significantly increased sedentary behaviors by 50% and decreased them by 53% during the respective phases.
- Increasing sedentary behaviors resulted in a significant daily energy balance increase of 350.7 kcal, driven by higher energy intake (+250.9 kcal) and lower energy expenditure (-99.8 kcal).
- Decreasing sedentary behaviors did not lead to significant changes in energy balance.
Conclusions:
- Increasing sedentary behaviors has a more pronounced effect on physical activity and energy intake than decreasing them in nonobese youth.
- Modifying sedentary behaviors can be a critical factor in managing energy balance and preventing obesity in some children.
Objectives:
Sedentary behaviors have been correlated with obesity. We investigated whether changes in sedentary behaviors relate to changes in energy intake and/or physical activity.
Study Design:
Experimental within-subject crossover design in which children participated in three 3-week phases: baseline and increased and decreased targeted sedentary behaviors.
Participants:
Thirteen 8- to 12-year-old, nonobese children.
Measurements:
Sedentary behaviors were measured through the use of daily activity logs, physical activity measured with accelerometers, and energy intake measured by means of repeated 24-hour recalls collected during each phase. Energy intake, energy expenditure, and energy balance per day were calculated.
Results:
Children showed significant (P <.001) increases of 50% and decreases of 53% in targeted sedentary behaviors from baseline during the increase and decrease phases, respectively. There was a significant (P =.05) increase in energy balance per day (+350.7 kcal) when sedentary behaviors were increased, as the result of an increase in energy intake per day (+250.9 kcal) and a decrease in energy expenditure (-99.8 kcal). No significant changes in energy balance were observed when sedentary behaviors were decreased.
Conclusions:
Increasing sedentary behaviors had a greater influence on physical activity and energy intake than reducing sedentary behavior in nonobese youth. In some children, changes in sedentary behaviors may be important to modify energy balance and prevent obesity.