Standing-based office work shows encouraging signs of attenuating post-prandial glycaemic excursion

Abstract

This is the first known 'office-based' study to provide CGM measures that add some of the needed mechanistic information to the existing evidence-base on why avoiding sedentary behaviour at work could lead to a reduced risk of cardiometabolic diseases.

Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting With Standing or Walking Attenuates the Postprandial Metabolic Response in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Acute Study

“…In contrast, alternating 30-min bouts of sitting and standing throughout the day has been shown to significantly reduce the iAUC between trial conditions for postprandial glucose (11% reduction compared with prolonged sitting) (12). A nonrandomized office-based study also found that glucose levels were reduced by 43% following an afternoon of standing compared with seated computer work (13). The fact that our study reported effects that were toward the upper end of those reported in previous studies, while using substantially smaller doses of standing, is likely to be driven by differences in sample characteristics and potentially the increased frequency in interruptions to prolonged sitting.…”

“…However, it is unclear whether moving from sitting to standing provides a sufficient stimulus to elicit metabolic benefits. While there is emerging evidence that sustained bouts of standing may improve glucose regulation (12,13), it is not clear whether breaking up prolonged sitting with intermittent short bouts of standing improves the metabolic health of individuals at high risk of chronic disease.…”

Breaking up prolonged sitting with light-intensity walking improves postprandial glycemia, but breaking up sitting with standing does not

“…However, these studies did not isolate the effects of standing from 194 walking and the role of standing alone cannot be inferred. Recent evidence in office workers 195 showed lower postprandial glucose AUC during an afternoon of working at a standing desk 196 compared to an afternoon of seated work and this was concomitant with a 174 kcal increase 197 in energy expenditure 16 . However, the current study revealed short frequent bouts of 198 standing had no effect on cardiometabolic risk markers over a 5-h period.…”

The Acute Effects of Breaking Up Seated Office Work With Standing or Light-Intensity Walking on Interstitial Glucose Concentration: A Randomized Crossover Trial

“…7 To our knowledge, six experimental studies to date have examined the acute effects of standing on postprandial glycemia. Three examined prolonged bouts of standing (30 minutes 8 , 45 minutes 9 and four hours 10 , respectively) and three examined short bouts (two minutes 1,5 and five minutes 3 , respectively). However, their results are conflicting, with three reporting a beneficial effect of standing 3,8,10 and three reporting no effect.…”

“…Three examined prolonged bouts of standing (30 minutes 8 , 45 minutes 9 and four hours 10 , respectively) and three examined short bouts (two minutes 1,5 and five minutes 3 , respectively). However, their results are conflicting, with three reporting a beneficial effect of standing 3,8,10 and three reporting no effect. 1,5,9 Therefore, the primary aim of the current study was to examine the acute effects of regularly breaking up seated office work with short bouts of standing or light-intensity walking on postprandial interstitial glucose concentration.…”