The association between habitual physical activity and sitting-induced endothelial dysfunction

Prolonged sitting is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, partly due to its cumulative endothelial dysfunction. Although physical activity may mitigate the deleterious effects of sitting time, the relationship between habitual physical activity levels and sitting-induced endothelial impairment remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to examine the association between sitting-induced endothelial dysfunction and habitual physical activity in healthy adults. This quasi-experimental pre-post study evaluated 15 healthy adults exposed to 3 hours of uninterrupted sitting. Baseline and post-intervention measurements of calf circumference (CC) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the superficial femoral artery were taken. Physical activity was assessed via the long International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Endothelial function significantly decreased after sitting (ΔFMD = -2.15%, d=1.56), and CC significantly increased (ΔCC = +1.24 cm, d=0.74). An inverse correlation was found between total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and ΔFMD (ρ = -0.57, p < 0.05). The linear mixed model showed that prolonged sitting effects on ΔFMD were significantly moderated by baseline MVPA level (Time×MVPA interaction: F(1,12) = 7.69, p = 0.017). Prolonged sitting acutely impairs endothelial function and promotes lower-limb fluid accumulation. Habitual MVPA may attenuate the adverse vascular impact of acute sitting, reinforcing its importance for vascular health.