Author(s): PARK, J., SON, J.S., KIM, D.Y., HWANG, M.H., Institution: INCHEON NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, Country: KOREA, SOUTH, Abstract-ID: 988

INTRODUCTION:
Prolonged sitting is a common lifestyle in the advanced countries with automated industrial structures and developed service industries. As amount of time spent sitting during the day increases, the risk of arterial stiffness, an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease, is increased. Thus, a lifestyle of prolonged sitting is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in modern society. Intermittent breaking-ups of prolonged sitting can be an effective behavioral intervention to offset the negative influence of that. However, it is difficult to discover studies investigating the effects of intermittent breaking-ups of prolonged sitting on both central and peripheral artery stiffness. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of intermittent breaking-ups of prolonged sitting on aortic and leg artery stiffness in young adults.
METHODS:
Nine healthy young adults (24 ± 1 yrs) were recruited for this study. By randomized crossover design, study participants performed both conditions: 3 hours of prolonged sitting (PS) and 3 hours of prolonged sitting with intermittent breaking-ups by 5 minutes of very slow, brisk walking every hour (BPS). Central artery stiffness measures such as aortic pulse wave velocity and augmentation index were evaluated by SphygmoCor Xcel system, Non-dominant leg pulse wave velocity as peripheral artery stiffness was measured by Doppler Flowmeters connected with PowerLab data acquisition system. Central artery stiffness measures were assessed at baseline and after the interventions. Peripheral artery stiffness was measured not only at baseline and after the intervention but also every hour during the interventions.
RESULTS:
There was no significant condition by time interaction for central artery stiffness measures and peripheral artery stiffness (P > 0.05). Additionally, BPS with very slow, brisk walking for 5 minutes every hour also had no effect on peripheral artery stiffness.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, one bout of prolonged sitting for 3 hours does not negatively influence on central and peripheral artery stiffness, and intermittent breaking-ups of prolonged sitting by very slow, brisk walking do not seem to play a positive role in central and peripheral artery stiffness measures in healthy young adults.