The 'Arming your Health' study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating whether breaking up sedentary behaviour with seated upper body contractile activity can regulate an individual’s metabolic health.
IRAS ID
191419
Contact name
Thomas Yates
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leicester
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Breaking up prolonged sitting time with intermittent light activities throughout the day has been widely acknowledged throughout research for its ability to regulate our metabolic responses to food intake. However, all studies to date have utilised weight baring activities, (namely ‘standing’ and ‘walking’) that can not be implemented by all segments of society.
At present, researchers have not been able to elucidate whether it is the postural adaptation (from sitting to upright activity) or the increase in energy expenditure from sitting to upright activities that is fuelling these favourable metabolic responses to light activity breaks. Further investigation into the pathogenesis of metabolic responses to sedentary behaviour is required for research to progress in this field.
Hypothetically, if raising energy expenditure is solely responsible for our favourable metabolic responses to light activity breaks, then introducing upper body activities, while remaining seated, should replicate the effect of light walking breaks shown throughout the literature if we were to match the amount of energy expenditure between these activities. If so, this would provide an effective and completely novel way of interrupting prolonged sedentary bouts, of which will be of great use to those who struggle with weight baring activities.
On the other hand, if a change in posture is solely responsible for alleviating the negative metabolic associations of sitting, then seated activity breaks (matched to the demands of upright activity) will not suffice as a viable strategy to improve our metabolic responses to food.
Either way, this research will give a unique insight in to the pathogenesis between sedentary behaviour and metabolic dysfunction.REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EM/0563
Date of REC Opinion
1 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion