Intermittent standing does not acutely improve postprandial metabolism in university students

Price, AG ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4457-8744, Procter, EL ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1321-5463, Boat, R ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4897-8118, Codd, EB ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3545-9343, Donaldson, J, Juett, LA ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4197-7778, Clayton, DJ ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5481-0891, Savage, MJ ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2922-3681 and James, RM, 2025. Intermittent standing does not acutely improve postprandial metabolism in university students. Journal of Sports Sciences, 42 (24), pp. 2517-2526. ISSN 0264-0414

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Abstract

Height-adjustable workstations offer a practical strategy to reduce sedentary behaviour in student populations, but the effect of standing intervals on young adults’ metabolic health remains uncertain. This study investigated the acute impact of breaking up sitting time with intermittent standing on postprandial metabolic responses in university students. Using a randomised, cross-over design, 23 participants (13 females, 10 males; age, 24 ± 5 years; BMI, 23.2 ± 3.1 kg/m2) completed two trials: 2 hours of uninterrupted sitting (SIT); and 2 hours alternating between sitting and standing every 30 minutes (STAND). During this period, participants underwent an oral glucose tolerance test, with [glucose] and [insulin] measured. Ad libitum food intake post intervention was also measured. No significant effects between trials nor trial × time interaction was found for [glucose] or [insulin] (all p > 0.05). The postprandial iAUC did not differ for [glucose] (p = 0.824; SIT: 222 ± 83 mmol/L; STAND: 225 ± 90 mmol/L) or [insulin] (p = 0.269; SIT: 17507 ± 9738 pmol/L; STAND: 15649 ± 10181 pmol/L). There were no differences in energy or macronutrient intake between trials. These findings indicate that interrupting sitting with 30-minute standing intervals does not improve postprandial metabolic responses in young, normal-weight adults.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Sports Sciences
Creators:	Price, A.G., Procter, E.L., Boat, R., Codd, E.B., Donaldson, J., Juett, L.A., Clayton, D.J., Savage, M.J. and James, R.M.
Publisher:	Informa UK Limited
Date:	13 January 2025
Volume:	42
Number:	24
ISSN:	0264-0414
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1080/02640414.2024.2447664 DOI 2395855 Other
Rights:	This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Sports Sciences on 13 January 2025, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2447664
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Laura Borcherds
Date Added:	07 Mar 2025 11:36
Last Modified:	07 Mar 2025 11:36
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/53205

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