Sitting less elicits metabolic responses similar to exercise and enhances insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women

C.M.E. Remie, G.E. Janssens, L. Bilet, M. Van Weeghel, B.M.F.M. Duvivier, V.H.W. De Wit, N.J. Connell, J.A. Jorgensen, B.V. Schomakers, V.B. Schrauwen-Hinderling, J. Hoeks, M.K.C. Hesselink, E. Phielix, R.H. Houtkooper, P. Schrauwen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Aims/hypothesis In our current society sedentary behaviour predominates in most people and is associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It has been suggested that replacing sitting time by standing and walking could be beneficial for individuals with type 2 diabetes but the underlying mechanisms are unknown and direct comparisons with exercise are lacking. Our objective was to directly compare metabolic responses of either sitting less or exercising, relative to being sedentary.Methods We performed a randomised, crossover intervention study in 12 overweight women who performed three well-controlled 4 day activity regimens: (1) sitting regimen (sitting 14 h/day); (2) exercise regimen (sitting 13 h/day, exercise 1 h/day); and (3) sitting less regimen (sitting 9 h/day, standing 4 h/day and walking 3 h/day). The primary outcome was insulin sensitivity measured by a two-step hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. We additionally performed metabolomics on muscle biopsies taken before the clamp to identify changes at the molecular level.Results Replacing sitting time by standing and walking over 4 days resulted in improved peripheral insulin sensitivity, comparable with the improvement achieved by moderate-to-vigorous exercise. Specifically, we report a significant improvement in peripheral insulin sensitivity in the sitting less (similar to 13%) and the exercise regimen (similar to 20%), compared with the sitting regimen. Furthermore, sitting less shifted the underlying muscle metabolome towards that seen with moderate-to-vigorous exercise, compared with the sitting regimen.Conclusions/interpretations Replacing sitting time by standing and walking is an attractive alternative to moderate-to-vigorous exercise for improving metabolic health.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2817-2828
Number of pages12
JournalDiabetologia
Volume64
Issue number12
Early online date12 Sept 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2021

Keywords

  • Clinical trial
  • Exercise
  • Insulin sensitivity
  • Metabolomics
  • Muscle metabolism
  • Sedentary time
  • Sitting
  • Sitting less
  • LIPOPROTEIN-LIPASE ACTIVITY
  • ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY
  • PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY
  • SKELETAL-MUSCLE
  • MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION
  • POSTPRANDIAL GLYCEMIA
  • RANDOMIZED CROSSOVER
  • ADULTS-COMPLIANCE
  • LIPID-CONTENT
  • US ADULTS

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