Abstract
PURPOSE: To examine the cumulative (7 days) effect of breaking up prolonged sitting on systemic endothelial function in sedentary men. METHODS: Thirty sedentary men ($33.93{\pm}5.72years$) participated in two randomized 7 days sitting trial (Sit group (control) vs. Breaks group). The protocol of Breaks group is as follows: 4-minute of moderate-intensity marching in place (walking) every 1 hour during business hour (total: 8 breaks/day). Assessment of brachial artery endothelial function using flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and arterial stiffness indices (augmentation index, arterial pressure and pulse wave velocity) were measured before and after 7 days treatment. RESULTS: Brachial artery FMD significantly increased after 7 days breaking up prolonged sitting treatment (Breaks groups, $9.65{\pm}2.61$ to $9.62{\pm}2.6%$) compared with 7 days prolonged sitting (Sit group, $8.37{\pm}3.41$ to $10.11{\pm}3.75%$) (interaction effect, p=.004). Arterial pressure (AP) significantly increased after treatment (Breaks group, $2.75{\pm}2.19$ to $2.38{\pm}1.63mmHg$, p=.002) in Sit group but there was no change (Sit group, $1.00{\pm}3.18$ to $2.50{\pm}9.23mmHg$) in Breaks groups (interaction effect, p=.008). CONCLUSIONS: These finding show that 7 days regular breaking up prolonged sitting improve in FMD, compared with prolonged sitting. Therefore, regular breaking up prolonged sitting may improve systemic endothelial function in sedentary men.