Interrupting sitting acutely attenuates cardiometabolic risk markers in South Asian adults living with overweight and obesity

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the acute effects of interrupting sitting with light-intensity walking on postprandial cardiometabolic risk markers in South Asian adults.

Methods: South Asians with overweight/obesity (n = 19; body mass index [BMI] > 23 kg·m−2) and normal-weight (n = 8; BMI 18.0–22.9 kg·m−2) aged 48.8 ± 5.6 years completed two, 5-h conditions: (1) prolonged sitting (SIT), and (2) interrupted sitting with 5-min bouts of light-intensity walking every 30-min (INT-SIT). Blood samples and resting expired air samples were collected throughout each condition. Statistical analyses were completed using linear mixed models.

Results: In participants with overweight/obesity, postprandial glucose, triglycerides (TAG) and metabolic load index (MLI) over time were lower, whereas resting substrate utilisation and resting energy expenditure (REE) were higher, in INT-SIT than SIT (all p ≤ 0.05). Compared with SIT (0.18 [95% CI 0.13, 0.22] kcal.min−1), INT-SIT (0.23 [95% CI 0.18, 0.27] kcal.min−1) increased postprandial REE iAUC in participants with overweight/obesity (p = 0.04, d = 0.51). Postprandial TAG concentrations over time were lower in INT-SIT versus SIT (p = 0.01, d = 30) in normal-weight participants, with no differences in any other outcomes for this sample group.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that interrupting sitting with 5-min bouts of light walking every 30-min acutely attenuates cardiometabolic risk markers among South Asians living with overweight/obesity, whereas limited effects may be seen in individuals with normal-weight.