Energy utilisation and postprandial responses during sitting interrupted by regular activity breaks

Interrupting sedentary behaviour with regular activity breaks benefits glycaemic control; however, the influence of the energy utilised during these activity breaks on postprandial metabolic response is relatively unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the energy utilisation of regular (every 30 min) short (1 min 40 s or 2 min) activity breaks was associated with the lowering of postprandial glycaemia, insulinemia and lipidemia.

Using separate data from two previously performed studies (ALPhA Study n = 65, age 25.7 (5.2) y, 40% male, BMI 23.6 (4.1) kg · m^-2. ABPA study n = 35, age 25.1 (3.7) y, 31% male, BMI 23.4 (3.2) kg · m^-2) we investigated the association between energy utilisation (measured by indirect calorimetry) and postprandial glucose, insulin and triglycerides during prolonged sitting, and regular activity breaks.Results.

Mixed effects regression models indicated that energy utilisation was not consistently associated with postprandial glucose, insulin or triglyceride responses (p > 0.05 for all). Additionally, there was some indication that energy utilisation was obscuring (mildly suppressing) the effects of regular activity breaks on glucose, insulin and triglyceride iAUC.Conclusions.

If energy utilisation does not mediate the association between regular activity breaks and postprandial glycaemic response, it is possible that it is the frequency of the activity breaks that is beneficial.