Summary:
In sedentary adults with metabolic syndrome, reducing sedentary time by at least 30 minutes daily through increased standing and light physical activity significantly improved metabolic flexibility and fat oxidation during low-intensity exercise compared to maintained sedentary behavior, though it was associated with no reported adverse effects.
| PICO | Description |
|---|---|
| Population | Sedentary adults diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (n = 64). |
| Intervention | Intervention group (n = 33) reduced sedentary time by approximately 41 minutes/day through increased standing and non-exercise physical activity over a 6-month period, measured via accelerometry. |
| Comparison | Control group (n = 31) maintained baseline sedentary behavior without intervention. |
| Outcome | Among participants who reduced sedentary time by ≥30 min/day, insulin-stimulated metabolic flexibility (ΔRER +0.03 vs. -0.02) and low-intensity exercise fat oxidation (FATox +0.2 vs. -0.4 mg/kg/min) improved significantly. Changes were positively correlated with increased standing and insulin sensitivity. No significant change observed in the overall intervention vs. control comparison. |
Source: Garthwaite, Taru, et al. “Successfully Reducing Sitting Time Can Improve Metabolic Flexibility.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. Read article here.
