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VIDEO: Breaks in sitting time reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in type 2 diabetes
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Bronwyn Kingwell, PhD, head of metabolic and vascular physiology at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia, offers investigator insight on the cardiometabolic benefits of breaking up sitting time throughout the day.
“We’re less active at work, in commuting and in the domestic situation,” she said. “There’s now very strong evidence that the increase in sitting we’re doing is adversely affecting our health — our risk for diabetes, [CVD] and some cancers.”
Kingwell said the rise in sedentary behavior has provided an opportunity for doctors to observe the effects of these conditions and determine the impact of breaks on disease prevention and control, particularly in patients with type 2 diabetes.
She details encouraging outcomes observed with exercises, including squats and knee or calf raises, then puts the findings in context of drug therapies for type 2 diabetes.
“We would certainly still advocate that physicians advocate moderate to vigorous physical activity … [but] breaking up that sitting time every 30 minutes with just a short bout of exercise can be very effective in controlling [BP].”
Kingwell discusses additional data that show such interventions benefit glycemic control as well as ongoing research exploring the reduction in inflammatory burden.
“It looks like breaking up sitting time has multiple benefits for cardiometabolic risk factors,” she said.