DWM SITTING TIMES

Sitting Time and Patterns in Postmenopausal Women Associated With Cardiometabolic Risk Biomarkers

Journal of the American Heart Association

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• This study evaluated the differences in sitting behaviors and the associations with cardiometabolic biomarkers in overweight and obese postmenopausal women (n=518) of Hispanic (n=102) and non-Hispanic (n=416) descent. Among all women, longer sitting time was associated with an increase in cardiometabolic risk factors, including insulin resistance, BMI and waist circumference, fasting glucose and insulin concentrations, and triglycerides. The association between mean sitting bout duration and fasting glucose concentration was stronger among Hispanic women than non-Hispanic women.

• In this study, there were ethnic differences in sitting behaviors, with possibly more deleterious associations with longer sitting bout duration in overweight or obese postmenopausal Hispanic women. More studies are warranted to corroborate this observation.

BACKGROUND

Sedentary behavior is pervasive, especially in older adults, and is associated with cardiometabolic disease and mortality. Relationships between cardiometabolic biomarkers and sitting time are unexplored in older women, as are possible ethnic differences.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Ethnic differences in sitting behavior and associations with cardiometabolic risk were explored in overweight/obese postmenopausal women (n=518; mean±SD age 63±6 years; mean body mass index 31.4±4.8 kg/m2). Accelerometer data were processed using validated machine-learned algorithms to measure total daily sitting time and mean sitting bout duration (an indicator of sitting behavior pattern). Multivariable linear regression was used to compare sitting among Hispanic women (n=102) and non-Hispanic women (n=416) and tested associations with cardiometabolic risk biomarkers. Hispanic women sat, on average, 50.3 minutes less/day than non-Hispanic women (P<0.001) and had shorter (3.6 minutes less, P=0.02) mean sitting bout duration. Among all women, longer total sitting time was deleteriously associated with fasting insulin and triglyceride concentrations, insulin resistance, body mass index and waist circumference; longer mean sitting bout duration was deleteriously associated with fasting glucose and insulin concentrations, insulin resistance, body mass index and waist circumference. Exploratory interaction analysis showed that the association between mean sitting bout duration and fasting glucose concentration was significantly stronger among Hispanic women than non-Hispanic women (P-interaction=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Ethnic differences in 2 objectively measured parameters of sitting behavior, as well as detrimental associations between parameters and cardiometabolic biomarkers were observed in overweight/obese older women. The detrimental association between mean sitting bout duration and fasting glucose may be greater in Hispanic women than in non-Hispanic women