Caffeine intake reduces sedentary time and increases physical activity predisposition in obese police officers

Abstract

Sedentary time is associated with increased obesity in police officers. Caffeine intake may reduce sedentary time but it has not been extensively investigated. In the present study, the effect of caffeine ingestion on sedentary time was investigated in obese police officers. Fourteen obese police officers ingested either 5 mg/kg of caffeine or cellulose (placebo) for six days. Information on inactivity time, time spent with physical activities, self-reported perception of tiredness, and physical activity disposition was obtained daily during the intervention period. Sedentary and physical activity times were divided into two intraday periods (T 1 : 08:00 am-02:00 pm and T 2 : 02:00 pm-08:00 pm). Caffeine intake decreased the sedentary time in both T 1 (79.2±2.2%) and T 2 (79.1±2.5%), when compared with T 2 of the placebo condition (81.1±3.6%, P<0.05). Caffeine intake also increased the time spent on light physical activities in T 1 and T 2 (17±2 and 18±2%), when compared with T 2 of the placebo condition (16±3%, P<0.05). In addition, sedentary time increased and light physical activity time decreased from T 1 to T 2 in the placebo (P<0.001) but not in the caffeine condition (P=0.81). Caffeine intake had no effect on tiredness (P>0.05), but it increased the self-reported physical activity disposition compared to the placebo condition (4.5±2.7 vs 3.2±2.3 units, P<0.05). Caffeine intake reduced the sedentary time and increased the time spent on light physical activities of obese police officers, which seems to be related to a higher disposition for the practice of physical activity.