Impact of Prolonged Sitting Interruption on Blood Glucose, Insulin and Triacylglycerol in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Physical activity (PA) and/or exercise improves postprandial cardiometabolic risk markers; however, the optimal exercise intensity, frequency, and dose remain unclear. We aimed to (1) compare the acute metabolic effects of interrupted prolonged sitting with PA bouts of different frequencies and durations on blood glucose, insulin, and triacylglycerol responses, and (2) compare the effects of the different types and different times of PA breaks on these measures. Methods: A literature search was carried out using four databases. Network meta-analysis (NMA) and paired meta-analysis were performed to estimate the total standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results: According to the NMA, compared to prolonged sitting, every 30 min interruption had the highest probability (SUCRA) of being the best intervention for improving blood glucose (SUCRA = 81.8%, SMD = −1.18, 95%CI: −1.72, −0.64) and insulin (SUCRA = 77.5%, SMD = −0.98, 95%CI: −1.36, −0.60). Additionally, every 20 min interruption also significantly lowered blood glucose (SMD = −0.89, 95%CI: −1.52, −0.27) and insulin (SMD = −0.94, 95%CI: −1.41, −0.46). Pairwise meta-analysis suggested that frequent breaks by light-intensity PA significantly lowered glucose (SMD = −1.45, 95%CI: −2.32, −0.57) and insulin (SMD = −1.04, 95%CI: −1.53, −0.55). The same was found for frequent breaks by moderate-to-vigorous PA, which also significantly lowered glucose (SMD = −0.6, 95%CI: −0.83, −0.37) and insulin (SMD = −0.53, 95%CI: −0.73, −0.32). Conclusions: According to the NMA, performing short bouts of PA every 30 min is the most effective prolonged sitting intervention for improving blood glucose and insulin. More evidence is needed to determine the optimal type and time of PA breaks for braking sedentary sitting. PROSPERO Registration: CRD42022340036.