Impact of prolonged sitting and physical activity breaks on cognitive performance, perceivable benefits, and cardiometabolic health in overweight/obese adults: The role of meal composition

Abstract

Background & aims: Physical activity (PA) breaks may effectively attenuate the detrimental impact of prolonged sitting on acute cognitive performance, perceivable benefits (e.g. mood), vascular function, and metabolic health. To date, the impact of meal composition on the effects of sedentary behavior and/ or PA breaks on health has been scarcely studied. Therefore, our aim was to investigate whether meal composition alters how sedentary behavior and PA breaks affect these acute health outcomes. Methods: A total of 24 overweight and obese, sedentary adults completed four conditions in randomized order in a cross-over design: [a] high-protein, low-fat breakfast (HPLF) þ 4hrs uninterrupted sitting (SIT), [b] HPLF þ 4hrs interrupted sitting (ACT; 5-min cycling every 30 min), [c] Western breakfast (WEST; higher in fats/simple sugars, lower in protein/fiber) þ SIT, [d] WEST þ ACT. WEST and HPLF were isocaloric. Linear mixed models were used to examine changes in cognitive performance (Test of Attentional Performance), perceivable benefits (Likert-scales, Profile of Mood States questionnaire), vascular health (carotid artery reactivity, blood pressure), and metabolic health (post-breakfast glucose, insulin, lipids). Results: Independent of meal composition, we did not observe any effect of PA breaks on cognitive performance, vascular health and post-breakfast lipid responses. PA breaks delayed post-breakfast mood and vigor decrements, as well as increases in fatigue and sleepiness (all p < 0.05), but effects were independent of meal composition (p > 0.05). WEST resulted in higher post-breakfast glucose levels compared to HPLF (p < 0.05), while PA breaks did not impact this response (p > 0.05). PA breaks reduced post-breakfast insulin (p < 0.05), which did not differ between meals (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The acute impact of PA breaks and/or prolonged sitting on cognitive performance, perceivable benefits, and vascular and metabolic health was not altered by the composition of a single meal in overweight/obese, sedentary adults. Possibly, breaking up prolonged sitting, rather than meal composition, is a more potent strategy to impact acute health outcomes, such as perceivable benefits and insulin levels.

Leg Fidgeting Improves Executive Function following Prolonged Sitting with a Typical Western Meal: A Randomized, Controlled Cross-Over Trial

“…However, during the INT trial, leg fidgeting for 1 min on/4 min off improved completion time by 13%, decreased the number of errors by 47% and participants felt 6% less fatigued compared to baseline. Our results build upon those of Wanders, Cuijpers, et al [38] who found that after 4-h of sitting with different Western meal types, physical activity interruption delayed post-breakfast mood and vigour decrements, as well as increases in fatigue and sleepiness irrespective of meal type. However, our findings are also in direct conflict to others [3] who assessed the effects of a high and low glycaemic beverage on TMT B pre and post 180 min of uninterrupted sitting.…”

Does breaking up sitting in office-based settings result in cognitive performance improvements which last throughout the day? A review of the evidence

“…Cognitive performance was assessed at two time points across the four days. In contrast to the previous studies, significant effects were not found for cognitive performance after breaking up sitting with cycling 37) . Similar to the walking intervention 35) , the study by Wanders et al 37) reported benefits in mood and other subjective and self-assessed tests 37) .…”

“…In contrast to the previous studies, significant effects were not found for cognitive performance after breaking up sitting with cycling 37) . Similar to the walking intervention 35) , the study by Wanders et al 37) reported benefits in mood and other subjective and self-assessed tests 37) . This study also reported lower subjective levels of sleepiness, increased self-assessed levels of mood (vigour) and lower selfassessed fatigue levels after cycling 21) .…”

Total Sedentary Time and Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…2 . For studies using a device for measurement of sedentary behaviour time, there were 12 studies assessing cognitive flexibility [ 40 – 42 , 44 , 50 , 51 , 53 , 54 , 58 , 64 – 66 ], 16 studies for episodic memory [ 47 , 50 , 53 , 54 , 58 , 59 , 61 , 62 , 65 – 72 ], 11 studies for executive function [ 40 , 50 , 53 , 54 , 58 , 59 , 62 , 66 , 71 – 73 ], 16 studies for global cognitive function [ 35 – 37 , 47 , 53 – 55 , 57 , 60 , 63 , 67 , 74 – 78 ], three studies reporting on the domain of motor skills and construction [ 35 , 56 , 72 ], 20 studies for processing speed [ 35 , 40 , 41 , 41 , 47 , 50 , 51 , 53 , 54 , 56 , 58 , 59 , 62 , 65 – 69 , 71 , 72 , 79 ] and 15 for working memory [ 40 – …”

“…2. For studies using a device for measurement of sedentary behaviour time, there were 12 studies assessing cognitive flexibility [40-42, 44, 50, 51, 53, 54, 58, 64-66], 16 studies for episodic memory [47,50,53,54,58,59,61,62,[65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72], 11 studies for executive function [40,50,53,54,58,59,62,66,[71][72][73], 16 studies for global cognitive function [35-37, 47, 53-55, 57, 60, 63, 67, 74-78], three studies reporting on the domain of motor skills and construction [35,56,72], 20 studies for processing speed [35, 40, 41, 41, 47, 50, 51, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 62, 65-69, 71, 72, 79] and 15 for working memory [40-42, 50, 51, 53, 54, 58, 62, 64-66, 70, 72, 73]. For studies using self-report to measure sedentary behaviour time, there were two studies for cognitive flexibility [49,51], five studies for episodic memory [43,47,49,80,81], seven for global cognitive function…”