Lifestyle has a strong influence on insulin sensitivity and the development of type 2 diabetes, and regular physical activity is known to play an important role in preventing health problems. In a recent Finnish collaborative study by the Turku PET Center and the UKK Institute, researchers found that standing is associated with better insulin sensitivity, so increasing daily standing time could help prevent chronic diseases. The results of the study were published in the “Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport”.
What is Insulin Sensitivity?
Insulin is a key hormone for energy metabolism and blood sugar regulation. The normal insulin function in the body can e.g. b.disturbed by excess weightresulting in decreased insulin sensitivity and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Typ-2-Diabetesis one of the most common diseases of civilization worldwide, and its onset is usually preceded by impaired insulin sensitivity, ie insulin resistance. This is a condition in which the body does not respond normally to insulin and blood sugar levels rise. However, so far little is known about the effects of sedentary behavior, sitting and standing breaks on insulin resistance.
In this new study, researchers examined the associations between insulin resistance and sedentary behavior in 64 sedentary middle-aged adults (37 women and 27 men, 40-65 years) with metabolic syndrome, who are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and Have cardiovascular disease. Participants spent 10.0 hours sitting, 1.8 hours standing, were physically active for 2.7 hours, and took 5149 steps and 29 breaks daily.
The researchers found that standing is associated with better insulin sensitivity, regardless of the amount of daily physical activity or time spent sitting, fitness level or obesity.
“This connection has not yet been proven. These results encourage replacing part of daily sitting time with standing, especially when physical activity recommendations are not met,” said Taru Garthwaite, a doctoral student at the University of Turku.
Body composition is closely related to insulin sensitivity
The study also highlights the importance of healthy body composition for metabolic health. The results show that increased body fat was a more important factor in insulin sensitivity than physical activity, fitness or time spent sitting.
Standing, on the other hand, has been linked to insulin sensitivity regardless of body composition.
“Regular exerciseis known to be beneficial to health. It appears that physical activity, fitness and sedentary behavior are also related to insulin metabolism, but indirectly through their effects on body composition,” explained Taru Garthwaite.
Causal effects cannot yet be predicted based on this study, but Garthwaite says the results suggest that increasing daily standing time may help prevent chronic diseases when physical activity recommendations are not met.
Next, the researchers want to examine how changes in daily activity and sedentary behavior affect cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk factors and metabolism by comparing two groups in a longer-duration intervention study.
“Our goal is to investigate whether reducing daily sitting time by one hour has effects on energy metabolism and fat accumulation in the liver and throughout the body, in addition to insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation,” said Garthwaite.
Those:Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (2021)Standing is associated with insulin sensitivity in adults with metabolic syndrome. Taru Garthwaite, Tanja Sjöros, Mikko Koivumäki
