Table 2:
Summary of the acute metabolic health effects of light-intensity physical activity from experimental laboratory-controlled studies
| Publication | Sample size and characteristics | Study design Study conditions | Primary results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studies investigating light-physical activity compared to sitting | |||
| Bailey et al. 2015 | N=10 (3♀/7♂) BMI: 26.5 ± 4.3 kg/m2 Non-insulin resistant |
Cross-over (5h/condition) 1) Uninterrupted Sitting 2) Sit + 2min stand every 20min 3) Sit + 2min LIW every 20min |
Plasma glucose AUC: LIW < sitting and standing; standing vs. sitting: NS Blood pressure: No between-conditions difference Plasma lipids: No between-conditions difference |
| Benatti et al. 2017 | N=14 ♂ BMI kg/m2: 24.9 ± 4.3 kg/m2 Non-insulin resistant |
Cross-over (27h/condition) 1) Uninterrupted Sitting 2) Sit + 15min stand every 30min 3) Sit + 30min MIW 4) Sit + 30min MIW and 15min stand every 30-min |
Postprandial plasma glucose iAUC: standing < sitting; MIW vs sitting: NS |
| Dempsey et al. 2016b | N=24 (10♀/14♂) BMI: 33.0 ± 3.4 kg/m2 Type 2 diabetes |
Cross-over (8h/condition) 1) Uninterrupted sitting 2) Sitting + 3min LIW every 30min 3) Sitting + 3min resistance activities every 30min |
Blood pressure: LIW < sitting Noradrenaline concentration: LIW < sitting |
| Duvivier et al. 2017a | N=24 (11♀/13♂) BMI: 29.0 ± 2.0 kg/m2 Non-insulin resistant |
Cross-over (4 days/condition) 1) Sit 13.5h/d, stand 1.4h/d, LIW 0.7 h/d 2) Sit 7.6h/d, stand 4.0h/d, LIW 4.3h/d |
OGTT insulin AUC: LIW < sitting Insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index): LIW < sitting Fasted lipids: LIW < sitting Fasted lipoproteins: LIW < sitting Diastolic blood pressure: LIW < sitting |
| McCarthy et al. 2017 | N=34 (18♀/16♂) BMI: 23.8 ± 6.1 kg/m2 Non-insulin resistant |
Cross-over (7.5h/condition) 1) Uninterrupted Sitting 2) Sit + 5min LIW every 30min |
Plasma glucose iAUC: LIW < sitting Plasma insulin iAUC: LIW < sitting |
| Pulsford et al. 2017 | N=25 ♂ BMI: 24.9 ± 4.3 kg/m2 Non-insulin resistant |
Cross-over (7h/condition) 1) Uninterrupted sitting 2) Sit + 2min stand every 20min 3) Sit + 2min LIW every 20min |
Postprandial plasma glucose AUC: LIW < sitting Postprandial plasma insulin AUC: LIW < sitting Insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index): LIW < standing and sitting |
| Thosar et al. 2015 | N=12 ♂ BMI: 23.7 ± 3.4 kg/m2 Non-insulin resistant |
Cross-over (3h/condition) 1) Uninterrupted sitting 2) Sit + 5min LIW every hour |
Flow-mediated dilation: LIW > sitting Shear rate: LIW > sitting |
| Studies comparing the health effects of light-intensity and moderate-vigorous physical activity to sitting | |||
| Duvivier et al. 2013 | N=18 (16♀/2♂) BMI: 22.6 ± 2.6 kg/m2 Non-insulin resistant |
Cross-over (4d/condition) 1) Sit 14h/d 2) Sit 13h/d and 1h EX 3) Sit 8h/d, 4h LPA, 2h stand |
OGTT plasma insulin AUC: LPA < sitting and exercise Fasting lipids: LPA < sitting; LPA vs exercise: NS Fasting lipoproteins: LPA < sitting; LPA vs exercise: NS |
| Duvivier et al. 2017b | N=19 (6♀/13♂) BMI: 30 ± 2.0 kg/m2 Type 2 diabetes |
Cross-over (4d/condition) 1) Sit 14h/d with 4415 steps/d 2) Sit + 1.1h/d EX with 4823 steps/d 3) Sit + stand 2.5h/d and LIW 2.2h/d with 17,502 steps/d |
Glycemia (CGMs): LIW < exercise Insulin sensitivity index (HOMA2-IR): LIW < exercise |
| Duvivier et al. 2018 | N= 61 (33♀/28♂) BMI: 27.8 ± 4.3 kg/m2 Non-insulin resistant and type 2 diabetics |
Pooled analysis Cross-over (4d/condition) (1) Sit 14h/d (2) Sit + 1h/d MIW (3) Sit + 5–6h/d LIW and standing |
Endothelial function: LIW < MIW Insulin sensitivity index (HOMA2-IR): LIW < MIW Plasma lipids: LIW < MIW |
BMI: body mass index (kg/m2); h: hours; d: day; EX: exercise; body mass index; AUC: area under the curve; iAUC: incremental area under the curve; LIW: light-intensity walking; MIW: moderate-intensity walking; OGTT: oral glucose tolerance test; LPA: light-intensity physical activity; CGMs: continuous glucose monitoring system.