Frequency of Interrupting Sitting and Cognitive Function

NCT06700187 | Recruiting DMC

• 2 other identifiers: NL86254.068.24CCMO, WMO
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 33
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Rationale: Sedentary behavior (SB) has been associated with impaired cognitive function in elderly, and negatively impacts glucose metabolism. Interrupting sitting with physical activity (PA) bouts may exert beneficial effects on cognitive function via an improved glucose metabolism. Nevertheless, the impact of breaking up prolonged sitting with various frequencies of PA bouts remains unexplored in young sedentary adults. Moreover, we hypothesize that the pattern of the breaks modifies the effects. Thus, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are highly needed to investigate the effects of interrupting sitting with different frequencies of PA on cognitive function and glucose metabolism. We now hypothesize that interrupting sitting with different frequencies of walking breaks differentially affects cognitive function and glucose metabolism. Objective: The aim is to investigate the effects of breaking up sitting with different frequencies of PA bouts on cognitive function and glucose metabolism in young sedentary adults. Study design: A randomised, controlled cross-over study will be performed, consisting of four interventions in a counterbalanced order: uninterrupted prolonged sitting, short breaks, moderate breaks, and long breaks. Intervention: Participants will complete four conditions in a randomized, counterbalanced order: sitting (uninterrupted prolonged sitting without any interruptions), short breaks (walk 1 minute every 10 minutes), moderate breaks (walk 3 minutes every 30 minutes), and long breaks (walk 27 minutes during the intervention). Each condition lasts 4.5 hours.

Conditions

Sedentary Behaviors; Breaking Prolonged Sitting With Physical Activity

Keywords

Sedentary behavior; sitting interruptions; cognition; glucose metabolism

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Mental flexibility

  It will be assessed using the computer-based Trial Making Test

  baseline and 5 hours post baseline

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• Interference

  baseline and 5 hours post baseline

• Memory

  baseline and 5 hours post baseline

• Attention

  baseline and 5 hours post baseline

• Glucose metabolism

  baseline, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hour, 2 hour, 3 hour, 4 hour, and 5 hour post baseline

• Glucose metabolism

  baseline, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hour, 2 hour, 3 hour, 4 hour, and 5 hour post baseline

Study Arms (2)

Interrupting sitting

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will engage in low-intensity walking breaks in different frequencies for 4.5 hours

Other: Interrupting sitting with walking breaks

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Paticipants will remain seated for 4.5 hours

Interventions

Interrupting sitting with walking breaks OTHER

Participants will engage in 27 minutes walking in different frequencies, including short breaks (walk 1 minute every 10 minutes), moderate breaks (walk 3 minutes every 30 minutes), and long breaks (walk 27 minutes in one time during the intervention).

Interrupting sitting

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Men and women aged 18-35 years;
• BMI between 18.5-24.9 kg/m2;
• SB, i.e. sitting for an average of at least 9 hours per day;
• Physically inactive, i.e. engaging in exercise for less than 2 to 3 times per week;
• Stable body weight (weight gain or loss \< 3 kg in the past three months);
• Willingness to engage in four 6-hour laboratory visits;
• No difficult cannulation.

You may not qualify if:

• Not sedentary, i.e. sitting for less than an average of 9 hours per day;
• Physically active, i.e. engaging in exercise for more than 3 times a week;
• Abuse of drugs;
• Use medication to treat BP, lipid, or glucose metabolism;
• Pregnant females.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Maastricht University Medical Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

Nutrition and movement science

Maastricht, Netherlands

RECRUITING

Related Publications (5)

• Wheeler MJ, Green DJ, Cerin E, Ellis KA, Heinonen I, Lewis J, Naylor LH, Cohen N, Larsen R, Dempsey PC, Kingwell BA, Owen N, Dunstan DW. Combined effects of continuous exercise and intermittent active interruptions to prolonged sitting on postprandial glucose, insulin, and triglycerides in adults with obesity: a randomized crossover trial. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020 Dec 14;17(1):152. doi: 10.1186/s12966-020-01057-9.

  PMID: 33308235 BACKGROUND

• Homer AR, Taylor FC, Dempsey PC, Wheeler MJ, Sethi P, Townsend MK, Grace MS, Green DJ, Cohen ND, Larsen RN, Kingwell BA, Owen N, Dunstan DW. Frequency of Interruptions to Sitting Time: Benefits for Postprandial Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2021 Jun;44(6):1254-1263. doi: 10.2337/dc20-1410. Epub 2021 Apr 26.

  PMID: 33905343 BACKGROUND

• Duran AT, Friel CP, Serafini MA, Ensari I, Cheung YK, Diaz KM. Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting to Improve Cardiometabolic Risk: Dose-Response Analysis of a Randomized Crossover Trial. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023 May 1;55(5):847-855. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003109. Epub 2023 Jan 12.

  PMID: 36728338 BACKGROUND

• Wheeler MJ, Green DJ, Ellis KA, Cerin E, Heinonen I, Naylor LH, Larsen R, Wennberg P, Boraxbekk CJ, Lewis J, Eikelis N, Lautenschlager NT, Kingwell BA, Lambert G, Owen N, Dunstan DW. Distinct effects of acute exercise and breaks in sitting on working memory and executive function in older adults: a three-arm, randomised cross-over trial to evaluate the effects of exercise with and without breaks in sitting on cognition. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Jul;54(13):776-781. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-100168. Epub 2019 Apr 29.

  PMID: 31036563 BACKGROUND

• Wu Y, Van Gerven PWM, de Groot RHM, Eijnde BO, Winkens B, Savelberg HHCM. Effects of breaking up sitting with light-intensity physical activity on cognition and mood in university students. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2023 Mar;33(3):257-266. doi: 10.1111/sms.14277. Epub 2022 Dec 1.

  PMID: 36434768 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Sedentary Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Renyan Ma

CONTACT

+31 883887804; renyan.ma@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Hans Savelberg, Phd

CONTACT

+31 433881392; hans.savelberg@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 12, 2024
• First Posted: November 21, 2024
• Study Start: October 3, 2024
• Primary Completion: March 27, 2026
• Study Completion: March 27, 2026
• Last Updated: January 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: Starting after 6 months of publication
• Access Criteria: Available to all researchers interested in interrupting sitting studies

Locations

NL (1)