Research
Mixed
Breaking up prolonged sedentary time with short interruptions (breaks) improves metabolic health markers (waist circumference, triglycerides, glucose) independent of total sedentary time.
Set a timer to stand up and move for 1-2 minutes every 30-60 minutes while sitting. This 'breaking up' of sedentary time is associated with better metabolic health (lower triglycerides, glucose, waist circumference) than sitting continuously, even if your total sitting time remains high.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Independent of total sedentary time, moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity time, and mean intensity of activity, we found that having a higher number of breaks in sedentary time was beneficially associated with waist circumference, body mass index, triglycerides, and 2-h plasma glucose.
Why this rating
Based on observational accelerometer data; the paper notes the need for experimental manipulation to confirm causality.
Source
Too Much Sitting
Neville Owen et al. · Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews · 2010
DOI 10.1097/jes.0b013e3181e373a2
narrative_reviewCited 2,169×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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