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Sedentary time increases risk for diabetes, metabolic syndrome
Each hour per day of sedentary time increases the risk for diabetes by 22% and the risk for metabolic syndrome by 39%, independent of high-intensity physical activity, according to research in Diabetologia.
Julianne D. van der Berg, MSc , a doctoral student at Maastricht University, Netherlands, and colleagues analyzed data from 2,497 adults aged 40 to 75 years participating in the Maastricht study, an observational, prospective, population-based survey focusing on the complications and comorbidities of type 2 diabetes (mean age, 60 years; 52% men). All participants received a waterproof activPAL accelerometer (PAL Technologies, Glasgow, U.K.) to wear 24 hours per day on the thigh for 8 consecutive days; researchers calculated each participant’s amount of daily sedentary time, daily number of sedentary breaks and prolonged sedentary bouts longer than 30 minutes, and average duration of sedentary bouts. The total amount of sedentary time was based on sedentary posture (sitting or lying down) and calculated as mean time spent in a sedentary position during waking time per day.
All participants underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test; researchers measured waist circumference, lipid profiles, fasting glucose levels, blood pressure and medication use to determine metabolic syndrome status. Researchers used logistic regression analysis to measure associations between sedentary behavior and glucose status and metabolic syndrome.
Within the cohort, 1,395 (55.9%) participants had normal glucose metabolism, 388 (15.5%) had impaired glucose metabolism and 714 (28.6%) had type 2 diabetes; 83% of participants provided at least 6 valid days of accelerometer data (wear time average, 6.3 days; mean waking time, 15.7 hours).
After adjustment for BMI and other covariates, the OR per additional hour of sedentary time was 1.22 (95% CI, 1.13-1.32) for type 2 diabetes and 1.39 (95% CI, 1.27-1.53) for metabolic syndrome.
Researchers found only weak or insignificant associations between number of sedentary breaks, number of prolonged sedentary bouts or average bout duration with either glucose metabolism status or metabolic syndrome after adjustment.
“It may be possible that participants with type 2 diabetes had more sedentary time because of their poorer health,” the researchers wrote. “However, when participants with type 2 diabetes on insulin medication were excluded from the analysis, the results did not change. This may suggest that sedentary behavior at least partly preceded type 2 diabetes, as the associations were similar among participants who did not necessarily have to spend more time sedentary because of their health.” – by Regina Schaffer
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.