Exploring the acute effects of sedentary behaviors on cardiometabolic risk in Hispanic adolescents with obesity: A randomized crossover study

Authors: SOLTERO, ERICA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); SALIM, OSAMAH - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); MIRABILE, YIMING - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); MUSAAD, SALMA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Children
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/12/2025
Publication Date: 4/16/2025
Citation: Soltero, E.G., Salim, O., Mirabile, Y., Musaad, S.M. 2025. Exploring the acute effects of sedentary behaviors on cardiometabolic risk in Hispanic adolescents with obesity: A randomized crossover study. Children. 12(4):Article 513. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12040513.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children12040513

Interpretive Summary: As youth transition into adolescence, they become increasingly more sedentary while physical activity levels precipitously decrease during this unique developmental life stage. Many teens spend much of their day sitting and spending excessive amounts of time in sedentary pursuits, which has been shown to contribute to obesity and obesity-related cardiometabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and some cancers. However, it is not clear if all sedentary activities affect health in the same way. For example, it is not clear if sitting to read a book affects health in the same way that sitting to watch a movie affects health. This study used calorimetry, a method used to measure energy expenditure, to explore potential health differences in various sedentary activities. Teens stayed in the calorimeter, a chamber like room, for four hours while engaging in either passive (watching movies) or more active (reading, puzzles) sedentary activities. Blood draws to monitor lipids and markers of inflammation (TNF-alpha, adiponectin) were taken in a fasted state followed by three additional postprandial draws which were taken in 30-minute intervals throughout the four-hour protocol. We did not see any significant changes in blood biomarkers between the two conditions, active and passive sedentary activities. However, we observed that youth expended more energy during the active sedentary activities compared to the passive sedentary activities. While preliminary, these findings suggest that the type of sedentary behavior—not just the amount—may matter for teen health. This has implications for public health efforts aimed at reducing the risks of obesity and chronic disease by promoting healthier ways to spend sedentary time.

Technical Abstract: Time spent in sedentary pursuits is associated with adverse metabolic profiles. Adolescents spend 65–75% of their day in sedentary pursuits; however, evidence among youth is less conclusive. This study examined the effects of an acute 4 h bout of sedentary behaviors on cardiometabolic outcomes and energy expenditure in Hispanic adolescents (12–16 years old) with obesity (BMI%>=95th). This study used a randomized cross-over design to engage participants (N=12) in two sedentary conditions, an active condition where youth were engaged in two hours of 'active' sitting activities (e.g., reading and puzzles) and two hours of passive movie-watching. Whole-room calorimetry was used to assess energy expenditure. Fasting measures of insulin, adiponectin, leptin, and TNF-alpha were collected, followed by post-prandial measures 30 min, 2 h, and 4 h after a standardized meal. Adiposity was assessed using DXA. There was no overall impact of the 4 h sedentary bout on energy expenditure or cardiometabolic risk factors; however, energy expenditure in the active sedentary condition was higher compared to the passive sedentary condition (p=0.0635, Beta estimate=0.1538). Sex and adiposity did not moderate the relationships among sedentary time, cardiometabolic outcomes, and energy expenditure. Due to power limitations, these results are exploratory; however, they suggest that different types of sedentary behaviors may be more deleterious than others. More studies are needed to understand the context in which sedentary activities occur and the mechanisms by which sedentary pursuits contribute to the development of cardiometabolic disease.