Combining Physical Activity and Sedentary Interventions to Improve Cardiometabolic Health

Summary

Many adults spend a large part of their day sitting, especially at work. Long periods of sitting and not moving enough can increase the risk of health problems such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This risk is even higher in people who have early warning signs like being overweight, having high blood pressure, or problems with blood sugar. Together, these problems are called metabolic syndrome.

The goal of this study is to find out whether combining regular exercise with reducing sitting time during the day can improve heart and metabolic health more than exercise alone.

About 40 adults between 18 and 65 years old who work mainly at a desk and sit for more than 9 hours a day will take part. All participants will first continue their normal daily routine for two weeks. After that, they will be randomly placed into one of two groups for eight weeks:

Exercise group: Participants will follow the World Health Organization guidelines for physical activity. This includes two sessions of moderate exercise each week (such as brisk walking or cycling) and one session of more intense exercise each week.

Exercise plus less sitting group: Participants will do the same exercise program, but they will also be encouraged to sit less during the workday. They will be asked to stand more, use sit-stand desks if possible, and avoid sitting for longer than one hour at a time.

Participants will visit the research center three times for health tests. These tests include blood samples to look at blood sugar, insulin, and fats in the blood, measurements of blood pressure and heart function, body composition scans, fitness tests, and questionnaires about sleep, diet, and quality of life. They will also wear activity monitors to measure how much they sit, stand, and move.

The main outcome is how the body handles sugar (insulin sensitivity). The researchers hope to learn whether sitting less, in addition to exercising, leads to better improvements in heart and metabolic health. The results may help develop better lifestyle advice to prevent heart disease and diabetes in people with desk jobs.

Conditions

• Cardiometabolic Risk Factors
• Sedentary Behaviors
• Insulin Resistance

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

WHO physical activity guideline

Individualised Physical Activity Plan (8 weeks): • Two weekly sessions of moderate-intensity physical activity (MIPA): Frequency: 2 sessions per week. Unsupervised. Duration: Initially 40 minutes per session, increasing to 50 minutes by week 4. Type of Activity: Participants can select from brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or elliptical training. Intensity: 40-60% of maximal oxygen consumption, monitored with wearable heart rate devices. • One weekly session of vigorous-intensity physical activity (VIPA): Frequency: 1 session per week. Supervised or predetermined. Duration: Initially 20 minutes per session, increasing to 30 minutes by week 4. Type of Activity: Options include running, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or fast cycling. Intensity: 60-90% of maximal oxygen consumption, tracked with heart rate devices. • Weekly check-ins will allow adjustments based on individual feedback and progress.

BEHAVIORAL

Sedentary behaviour reduction at the workplace

Participants will be encouraged to replace seated work with standing work and engage in light physical activity breaks. • Workplace Integration Strategies: Participants working in an office setting will be provided with adjustable sit-stand desks where possible. • Active Breaks and Movement Interventions: Participants will be prompted to take short (2min) active breaks after prolonged periods of sedentary behaviour. Break activities will include standing, stretching, or light movement such as walking.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hasselt University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jen Vanherle, MSc · Hasselt University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-04-28

Primary Completion

2026-02-28

Completion

2026-02-28

Countries

• Belgium

Study Locations