According to epidemiologic data, just a few minutes of physical activity hourly can confer metabolic benefit in otherwise sedentary people. To explore this possibility further, researchers conducted a randomized crossover trial that involved 19 sedentary, nondiabetic, overweight adult volunteers. On 3 separate days, each person received a liquid test meal (containing carbohydrates and fats) followed by five hourly measurements of blood glucose and insulin. On one study day, participants remained seated throughout the 5 hours; on a second day, they interrupted sitting with 2-minute light-intensity walks (2 miles/hour) every 20 minutes; and on a third day, they interrupted sitting with 2-minute moderate-intensity walks (3.5–4.0 miles/hour) every 20 minutes. The mean areas under the 5-hour curves for insulin and glucose were significantly lower (by about 25%) during both the light-activity day and the moderate-activity day, compared with the completely sedentary day. In other words, brief periods of activity blunted serum glucose and insulin responses to meals.

Comments: this is intriguing and needs further testing; however, at least your back will thank you if you get up every hour; I am told there are computer programs that puts your computer in a suspended mode for few minutes every hour. BA

CITATION(S):

Dunstan DW et al. Breaking up prolonged sitting reduces postprandial glucose and insulin responses. Diabetes Care 2012 May; 35:976

Journal Watch 5/31/2012