Walking Breaks for Cardiometabolic Health

Overseen By Henry Ginsberg, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Columbia University

Must not be taking: Antihypertensives, Diabetes control

Disqualifiers: CVD, Diabetes, Hypertension, COPD, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

324 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine the optimal frequency and duration of walking breaks to improve heart and metabolic health. Researchers will examine how varying lengths and frequencies of walking breaks can reduce blood pressure and glucose levels in individuals who sit for extended periods. Participants will be monitored in a controlled setting to identify the most effective break patterns that do not cause excessive fatigue or discomfort. The trial seeks adults who are generally healthy but may have controlled high blood pressure or cholesterol and are not taking medication for diabetes. As an unphased study, this trial provides participants the chance to contribute to valuable research that could enhance public health guidelines.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that participants do not take medication to control blood pressure or glucose, so you may need to stop these medications to participate.

What prior data suggests that these sedentary break protocols are safe?

Research has shown that taking regular walking breaks from sitting is safe and beneficial for health. Studies indicate that interrupting long periods of sitting with walking can lower the risk of heart disease and other health issues, as prolonged sitting is known to increase these risks.

Walking breaks improve blood flow and overall heart health. Although studies have not identified serious safety concerns with walking breaks, finding the right balance is crucial. Excessive exercise can lead to fatigue or discomfort, and this study aims to determine the optimal amount.

In summary, walking breaks are a safe and effective way to enhance heart health, provided they are not overdone. Participants in this study will help identify the ideal amount of walking needed to achieve health benefits without causing discomfort. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Walking Breaks for Cardiometabolic Health trial because it explores a simple, non-invasive approach to improving health. Unlike standard treatments for cardiometabolic issues, which often involve medications like statins or lifestyle advice that can be hard to follow, this trial investigates the potential benefits of regular, short walking breaks. The focus is on how breaking up long periods of sitting with walking can impact heart rate and blood pressure, offering a potentially easy and accessible way to enhance cardiovascular health. This trial could reveal that small changes in daily habits can lead to significant health benefits, making it a promising area of study.

What evidence suggests that sedentary breaks might be effective for cardiometabolic health?

Research shows that taking short walking breaks during long periods of sitting can improve heart and overall health. In this trial, participants will experience both the Sedentary Break (Walking) Condition and the Sitting (Control) Condition. Studies indicate that these breaks can help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. For example, one study found that taking a four-minute walk every hour reduced bad cholesterol in young adults. Other research has linked excessive sitting to higher risks of heart disease and death. This suggests that even brief, regular movement benefits heart health. Overall, these findings support the idea that short walking breaks can enhance heart and metabolic health. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Keith Diaz, PhD

Principal Investigator

Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Behavioral Medicine, CUIMC

Ying Kuen (Ken) Cheung, PhD

Principal Investigator

Professor of Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, CUIMC

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults who can understand English or Spanish, have no chronic conditions like heart disease or diabetes, don't take blood pressure or glucose medication, and have no musculoskeletal issues. Participants should not be allergic to common foods, follow specific diets, smoke cigarettes, or have trouble with IV access.

Inclusion Criteria

No allergies to common food allergens including wheat, eggs, milk or other dairy, gluten, fructose, peanuts or other nuts

I do not have any long-term health conditions like heart disease or diabetes.

Do not currently smoke cigarettes

Exclusion Criteria

I am unable to give my consent.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Experimental Condition

Participants undergo two 8-hour lab visits, one with sedentary breaks and one as a control condition, to determine the minimally effective and maximally tolerated doses of sedentary breaks.

2 lab visits (8 hours each)

2 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the experimental conditions.

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Controlled Diet
• Sedentary Break (Walking) Condition
• Sitting (Control) Condition

Trial Overview The study aims to find the smallest effective 'dose' of activity breaks needed during an 8-hour sitting period to improve heart health and blood sugar levels. It will test different frequencies (e.g., every 30 min) and durations (e.g., 1 min) of walking breaks against a control group that remains seated.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Sedentary Break Condition > Control Condition Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Participants will be assigned to the sedentary break or control condition at each lab visit. If assigned to the sedentary break condition at lab visit 1, participants will be assigned to the control condition at visit 2 (and vice versa). During the lab visit, participants will wear a heart rate monitor and ambulatory blood pressure monitor, and eat a controlled diet. Participants will also eat a controlled diet for two days prior to the lab visit.

Group II: Control Condition > Sedentary Break Condition Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Participants will be assigned to the sedentary break or control condition at each lab visit. If assigned to the sedentary break condition at lab visit 1, participants will be assigned to the control condition at visit 2 (and vice versa). During the lab visit, participants will wear a heart rate monitor and ambulatory blood pressure monitor, and eat a controlled diet. Participants will also eat a controlled diet for two days prior to the lab visit.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Columbia University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,529

Recruited

2,832,000+

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Collaborator

Trials

3,987

Recruited

47,860,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Breaking up prolonged sitting with light-intensity walking significantly lowers plasma glucose levels compared to uninterrupted sitting and standing, suggesting it may improve post-meal blood sugar responses.

The study, involving 10 non-obese adults in a crossover trial, found no significant differences in blood pressure or lipid levels between the different activity conditions, highlighting that light walking is more effective than standing for cardiometabolic health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Breaking up prolonged sitting with light-intensity walking improves postprandial glycemia, but breaking up sitting with standing does not. Bailey, DP., Locke, CD.[2022]

In a study of 537 adolescents aged 10 to 14, increasing the number of breaks from sedentary behavior was linked to lower body mass index (BMI), suggesting a potential strategy for managing weight in this age group.

The association between breaks in sedentary time and BMI was consistent across genders and was not influenced by nutritional status or excessive sedentary time, indicating that simply incorporating more activity breaks could be beneficial for adolescents' health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Breaks in Sedentary Time and Cardiometabolic Markers in Adolescents. Quirino, NMML., Prazeres Filho, A., Barbosa, AO., et al.[2021]

In a study involving 11 sedentary Qatari females, breaking up prolonged sitting with moderate-intensity walking significantly reduced insulin and triglyceride levels, indicating a positive impact on cardiometabolic health.

The findings suggest that incorporating short walking breaks can be a culturally appropriate strategy to improve health markers in this population, although further research is needed to assess long-term effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Postprandial Insulin and Triglyceride Concentrations Are Suppressed in Response to Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting in Qatari Females. Chrismas, BCR., Taylor, L., Cherif, A., et al.[2023]

In a study involving 70 adults, regular activity breaks (walking for 1 minute and 40 seconds every 30 minutes) significantly reduced insulin and glucose levels after meals compared to prolonged sitting and continuous physical activity.

Regular activity breaks lowered insulin levels by 866.7 IU · L(-1) · 9 h(-1) and glucose levels by 18.9 mmol · L(-1) · 9 h(-1), demonstrating that interrupting sedentary behavior is more effective for managing post-meal metabolism than simply engaging in continuous physical activity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Breaking prolonged sitting reduces postprandial glycemia in healthy, normal-weight adults: a randomized crossover trial. Peddie, MC., Bone, JL., Rehrer, NJ., et al.[2023]

A systematic review of 45 studies found that taking breaks from sitting, particularly through walking, leads to significant improvements in cardiovascular parameters, especially blood pressure and vascular function.

Acute studies showed immediate benefits from sitting breaks, while chronic studies indicated sustained improvements in blood pressure, highlighting the importance of reducing sedentary behavior for heart health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting on Cardiovascular Parameters: A systematic Review. da Silva, GO., Santini, LB., Farah, BQ., et al.[2022]

In a study of 5268 adults aged 20-85, those with the least sedentary behavior (SB) and the most moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) had the healthiest cardiometabolic profiles, indicating that higher activity levels are crucial for better health outcomes.

The research found that while time spent in SB alone did not predict metabolic abnormalities when accounting for MVPA, lower levels of MVPA were significantly linked to increased obesity and cardiometabolic risks, highlighting the importance of physical activity over sedentary time.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adiposity and insufficient MVPA predict cardiometabolic abnormalities in adults. Peterson, MD., Al Snih, S., Stoddard, J., et al.[2022]

Replacing sedentary behavior with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with improved cardiometabolic health in Korean adults, based on a study of 2197 participants from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2014-2017.

The study found that as individuals increased their MVPA, the odds of experiencing adverse cardiometabolic health decreased, highlighting the importance of active lifestyles for maintaining health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Isotemporal Substitution Analysis of Accelerometer-Derived Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity on Cardiometabolic Health in Korean Adults: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Ma, J., Kim, H., Kim, J.[2021]

Interrupting sedentary behavior with light-intensity activity may positively impact blood sugar levels (glycemia) in adults, according to a meta-analysis of nine experimental studies.

Observational studies suggest that breaks in sedentary behavior are associated with lower obesity metrics, independent of total sitting time, indicating potential benefits for managing adiposity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Meta-analysis of the relationship between breaks in sedentary behavior and cardiometabolic health. Chastin, SF., Egerton, T., Leask, C., et al.[2022]

In a study of 4439 adults, those who engaged in light to moderate physical activity during breaks from sedentary time (the 'Breakers' group) showed significantly better cardiometabolic health outcomes, including lower levels of adiposity and improved insulin sensitivity, compared to those with more sedentary lifestyles.

Profiles that accumulated sedentary time in shorter bouts and included physical activity breaks ('Shortened sitters' and 'Breakers') had better health markers than 'Couch potatoes' and 'Prolonged sitters', suggesting that breaking up sedentary time with any form of activity can positively impact health.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Accumulation patterns of sedentary time and breaks and their association with cardiometabolic health markers in adults. Farrahi, V., Kangas, M., Kiviniemi, A., et al.[2021]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7841485/

Effects of sedentary behaviour interventions on biomarkers of ... Observational and acute laboratory intervention research has shown that excessive sedentary time is associated adversely with cardiometabolic biomarkers.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1933287425000625

Hourly 4-minute walking breaks from sitting following ... Taking hourly 4-minute walking breaks from sitting after aerobic exercise can reduce postprandial non-HDL-C levels in sedentary, healthy young adults.

3. ahajournals.org ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.312669

Sedentary Behavior, Exercise, and Cardiovascular Health Sedentary behavior and physical inactivity are among the leading modifiable risk factors worldwide for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.

4. stacks.cdc.gov stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/229991/cdc_229991_DS1.pdf

Movement Behavior and Health Outcomes among ... Studies documented the inverse relationship between increased standing time and all-cause mortality rates among people who primarily sit [28,29]; ...

5. bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-22250-0

protocol for a dose-finding adaptive randomization trial | BMC ... In a systematic review on the effects of sedentary breaks on cardiometabolic health indicators under laboratory conditions, 44 studies were ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9819496/

Sedentary Behaviour—A Target for the Prevention and ... Breaking up sedentary time with walking may have the most widespread benefits, whereas standing breaks may be less effective, especially in healthy individuals.

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9363656/

Sedentary behavior and cardiovascular disease risk (Walsh et al., 2017) Our group has demonstrated that acute bouts of sitting can lead to impaired lower limb vascular function, (Paterson et al., 2020) increased ...

8. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2814094

Occupational Sitting Time, Leisure Physical Activity, and All ... Individuals who predominantly engaged in sitting at work exhibited a higher risk of mortality from all causes (16%) and cardiovascular disease (34%).

9. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1440244022000834

Effects of reduced sedentary time on cardiometabolic ... Reduced sedentary time and increased light- and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity had beneficial effects on several cardiometabolic risk markers ...