Standing, stepping, and engaging in other non-sitting activities for 2 hours daily significantly lowered glucose levels and improved total vs high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratios, both important cardiometabolic risk factors, according to a recent study.

Each additional 2 hours a day spent standing was associated with about 2 percent lower fasting plasma glucose, 6 percent lower total/HDL-cholesterol ratio, 14 percent lower triglyceride levels, 3 percent lower 2-hour plasma glucose and about 0.07 mmol/L higher HDL-cholesterol levels. [Eur Heart J 2015; doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehv308]

Every 2 hours a day spent stepping was significantly linked to about 11 percent lower BMI, 8 cm lower waist circumference, 6 percent lower total/HDL-cholesterol ratio, 20 percent lower triglyceride levels, 14 percent lower 2-hour plasma glucose and about 0.14 mmol/L higher HDL-cholesterol levels. However, neither standing nor stepping was significantly associated with changes in systolic or diastolic blood pressure or HbA_1C or LDL-cholesterol levels.

These results contrast with those spent in a sedentary position (sitting), where every additional 2 hours a day spent sitting was linked to about 3 percent higher BMI, 1 percent higher fasting plasma glucose, 5 percent higher total/HDL-cholesterol ratio, 12 percent higher triglyceride levels, 4 percent higher 2-hour plasma glucose levels, and 0.07 mmol/L lower HDL-cholesterol levels.

Every 2 hours spent stepping instead of sitting led to significant reductions in BMI (about 11 percent), waist circumference (7.5 cm) and post-load glucose levels (12 percent). On the other hand, every 2 hours spent standing instead of sitting led to significant reductions in fasting plasma glucose (about 2 percent), total/HDL-cholesterol ratio (6 percent) and triglyceride levels (11 percent), as well as 0.06 mmol/L higher HDL-cholesterol levels.

The study included 782 participants aged 36 to 80 years from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study who were monitored for 24 hours per day for 7 days with an activPAL3^TM monitor strapped to the thigh. [J Sci Med Sport 2014;17:293-299]

While the impact of physical activity on cardiometabolic risk factors has been confirmed, the findings suggest simply substituting standing for sitting could exert health benefits.