Interrupted sitting at work can alter postprandial glucose, triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA)

Prolonged sitting at work is a major health issue as sedentary behaviour has been linked to cardiometabolic risks. Workplace interventions have trialled intermittent interruption to sitting throughout the working day to mitigate effects on employees' health. This study tested effects of the intensity of the interruptions to sitting on postprandial glucose, triglycerides and NEFA in a laboratory setting.

Overweight and obese adults (n=24) were recruited for a randomised cross over trial comparing, 1) uninterrupted sitting, 2) sitting interrupted by light intensity walking at 3 km.hr-1, and 3) vigorous intensity stair climbing at 60 steps.min-1. The interruptions to sitting were performed for two-minute bouts every 20 minutes following a meal. The moderate fat meal was provided two hours after the trial started and blood samples were collected each hour throughout the seven-hour sessions.

There was a lower postprandial peak in plasma glucose and attenuation of the NEFA reductions for stair climbing compared to uninterrupted sitting. In contrast, triglycerides were reduced postprandially following light intensity walking compared to uninterrupted sitting.

Interrupted sitting with higher intensity demonstrates greater improvements postprandially.