Every extra time of daily time that is sitting, for example, in front of the computer, is associated with 22% more risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in Diabetologia, conducted by Julianne van der Berg, ofThe University of Maastricht, Holland, and its colleagues.
The investigation analyzed the transversal associations of the total duration of the sitting time and the patterns of sedentary behavior with the state of glucose metabolism and metabolic syndrome.Study participants used Actival3 accelerometer, which classifies sedentary behavior using data on position and has proven to be a precise means to evaluate sedentary behavior.
Data from the Maastricht study, an observational analysis of prospective cohorts based on the population of the Netherlands.The authors included 2,497 participants (with an average age of 60 years, 52% men) who were asked to take the accelerometer for 24 hours eight consecutive days.The authors calculated the daily amount of sedentary time, the daily number of breaks of sitting, the number of prolonged sedentary periods (30 minutes or more) and the average duration of these periods of being sitting.To determine the state of diabetes, the participants underwent an oral tolerance test to glucose.
In total, 1,395 participants (56%) had a normal glucose metabolism, 388 (15%) presented a metabolism of altered glucose and 714 (29%), type 2 diabetes. Participants with type 2 diabetes passed mostof time sitting, up to 26 minutes more per day compared to participants with an alteration of metabolism or normal glucose.The highest risk of diabetes for every additional hour of sedentary lifestyle was 22%.No significant associations were observed for the number of sedentary lifestyle, the number of prolonged sedentary periods or the average duration of these sedentary times with diabetes.
The authors believe that future studies should be carried out in participants with type 2 diabetes to confirm these results, since their findings could have important implications for public health, suggesting that sedentary behavior can play an important role in development and preventionof 2 diabetes, regardless of high intensity physical activity.