Sitting too much? Take a 5 minute walk every 30 minutes for better health

Breaking up sedentary time behind a desk by taking a 5-minute walk every half hour was the optimal break for improving cardiometabolic and mental health, according to results from a small crossover study.

“We set out to figure out what is the bare minimum that someone needs to do in terms of movement” to counter the adverse effects of sitting too long, said lead author Keith M. Diaz, PhD. Medscape Medical News.

The researchers recruited 11 adults in their 40s, 50s, and 60s and compared health measures of sitting 8 hours without a break (control) versus 8 hours of sitting and taking a 1-minute or 5-minute walking break. minutes every half hour or every hour.

When participants took a light walk for 5 minutes after every half hour in a seated position, peak blood sugar levels after eating were reduced by 58% compared to sitting all day, which is “comparable to reduction you would see if someone had diabetes and was using insulin injections or diabetes medication to control their blood sugar,” noted Diaz, of the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University Medical Center, New York.

The greatest reductions in systolic blood pressure were observed when the walking break was 1 minute every 60 minutes (-5.2 mm Hg) and 5 minutes every 30 minutes (-4.3 mm Hg) . A reduction of 4 to 5 mm Hg is what “you would expect to see if someone exercised daily for 6 months,” he noted.

The take home message is that “if you have a job or lifestyle where you have to sit for long periods of time, we suggest taking a 5 minute walk break every half hour. That’s a change behavior that could reduce your health risks from sitting.”

“More frequent and longer breaks (every 30 min for 5 min) should be considered when targeting [blood glucose]while lower doses may be sufficient to [blood pressure] decline,” the researchers conclude.

Science shows us that it’s not as simple as following suggested exercises for good health, Diaz added. “You can’t just exercise for 30 minutes every morning and sit still the rest of the day,” he pointed out. “Your body needs regular, perpetual movement. That’s the key here. Our bodies need regular ‘activity snacks’ throughout the day to function well or optimally.”

The study by Andrea T. Duran, also of Columbia University Medical Center, and colleagues was published online today in Sports and exercise medicine and science.

Study offers tips for employers to create healthier workplaces

“I think ultimately we can get employers to recognize that prolonged sitting is an occupational hazard that we need to address, and it’s gotten worse since COVID-19,” Diaz said.

According to him, this study “offers clear advice to employers on how they could make their workplaces healthier, and we know that healthy employees are more effective and productive employees”.

He showed that “walking to break up your workout puts you in a better mood, you feel more energized. At work, it might seem counter-intuitive, but taking regular breaks can actually help you be more productive than working without. stop you”.

Optimal duration and frequency of sitting breaks

The researchers aimed to determine the optimal duration and frequency of low-intensity walking breaks during a simulated 8-hour sedentary workday.

They recruited 6 men and 5 women aged 45 and over who were sedentary for at least 8 hours a day, based on readings from an accelerometer worn for 7 days before the start of the trial, between November 2018 and March. 2020.

The men and women had an average age of 57 years and were diverse in terms of ethnicity (white, black, Hispanic, other) and weight (normal weight, overweight, obese).

Most (91%) had normal blood sugar levels. Almost half (46%) had normal blood pressure (< 120/80 mm Hg) et 18 % étaient hypertendus (> 140/90 mm Hg or on antihypertensives).

Participants completed the five 8-hour trial conditions, in random order, on different days with washout periods between conditions.

While sedentary, participants could read or use their phone or computer. Walking breaks consisted of walking on a treadmill at 2 miles per hour (0% incline).

Participants received a standard breakfast, followed by a standard lunch 4 hours later. They wore a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and glucose was recorded every 15 minutes.

At baseline and every hour before scheduled activity breaks, researchers measured participants’ blood pressure, and participants reported their level of fatigue on a visual analog scale.

At baseline, 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., participants answered a “Profile of Mood States” questionnaire on mood (anger, confusion, depressionfatigue, tension and vigor) and did a “Symbol Digit Modalities” test which measures cognition.

Compared to the sedentary condition without a break (control), glucose spikes after eating were significantly attenuated only during the sedentary condition which included a 5-minute walking break every 30 minutes.

During all four conditions with walking breaks, participants had significant decreases in systolic blood pressure compared to the control condition (P < .05).

Most participants (≥80%) said they would be willing to take 1-minute or 5-minute breaks after being sedentary, every half hour or 1 hour, long-term.

Taking 5-minute breaks after sitting for 30 minutes or 60 minutes has been associated with significant improvements in fatigue and mood (including stamina); improvements were less robust with one-minute breaks after sitting that long.

There was no significant improvement in cognitive scores by taking these breaks while sitting.

Medical-scientific sports exercise. Published online January 12, 2023. Summary

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