How Sedentary Behavior Affects Health—Increased physical activity is known to help prevent or minimize the effects of chronic diseases. Less is known about how sedentary behavior affects health, particularly among Hispanics/Latinos in the United States. In a study of more than 12,000 people of Hispanic/Latino origin, Dr. Qibin Qi examined connections between sedentary behavior and numerous cardiometabolic biomarkers including HDL cholesterol and fasting glucose levels. The study was unusual in measuring sedentary time and physical activity through the use of accelerometers rather than self-reports. Dr. Qi found deleterious associations between the amount of time spent being sedentary and the various biomarkers, independent of physical activity. The findings, published in September in Circulation, emphasize the importance of reducing sedentary behavior for preventing or controlling cardiovascular disease and diabetes even in people who meet physical activity recommendations. Dr. Qi is assistant professor of epidemiology & population health.
Posted on: Friday, September 18, 2015