The Acute Impact of Sit-stand Desks on Post-meal Blood Sugar Levels

Context and Rationale: Uninterrupted sitting is associated with increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and death, even among people who are physically active. These relationships are likely due to increases in post-meal blood sugar observed when people sit for long periods (e.g. > 1 hour) without interruption. In contrast to sitting, standing results in large reductions in post-meal blood sugar levels. Our group has recently shown that sit-stand desks result in large (e.g. 2.5 hour/day) reductions in occupational sitting time. Taken together, these findings suggest that sit-stand desks may help to reduce post-meal blood sugar levels. However, this has yet to be examined in the field. Theoretical Approach and Objectives: The objective of this randomized crossover study is to determine whether people have lower blood sugar when using a sit-stand desk, in comparison to a desk that can only be used while sitting. Methods and Procedures: Sixteen participants will be asked to wear a continuous glucose monitor to measure their blood sugar levels during 2 separate conditions. During one condition, they will be asked to use a sit-stand desk to sit and/or stand as much as they like during 1 workday. During the other condition, they will be asked to work at a seated desk for 1 workday. Participants will be provided with identical meals to eat during each of the two conditions. We hypothesize that participants will have lower blood sugar levels on the day when they use the sit-stand desk, in comparison to the day using a traditional seated desk. Significance and Future Use: If our results support this hypothesis, this would suggest that sit-stand desks may be a useful way to reduce blood sugar levels in people at risk for diabetes. This could also lead to larger population-based interventions studying the health impact of sit-stand desks.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Physical Activity; Glucose Tolerance; Insulin Sensitivity; Sedentary Behaviour
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Sit-stand desk; Behavioral: Sitting desk

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 14
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Prince Edward Island
    • Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, C1A 4P3
      • University of Prince Edward Island

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• To participate in this study, participants must be between the ages of 20 and 65, and have access to a sit-stand desk (depending on your workspace, we may be able to provide you with a sit-stand desk during the study if you do not already have one).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants will be excluded if they are currently taking any diabetes medications targeting blood sugar or insulin sensitivity as this will impact our primary outcome of postprandial glucose. Participants will also be excluded if they are unable to stand or walk independently, as these are secondary outcomes in the present study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Sit-stand desk; During this condition, participants will sit or stand as much as they like throughout a workday.	Behavioral: Sit-stand desk
Placebo Comparator: Sitting; During this condition, participants will work in the sitting position only.	Behavioral: Sitting desk

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postprandial Glucose	Postprandial glucose will be assessed over 1 workday in both the experimental and control conditions.	12 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Objectively measured minutes of light, moderate and vigorous physical activity.	Physical activity time will be assessed over 1 workday during both conditions.	24 hours
Objectively measured minutes of sitting	Sitting time will be assessed over 1 workday during both conditions.	24 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Prince Edward Island

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 15, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 20, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): September 23, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 17, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 12, 2018
• Last Verified: October 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Hyperinsulinism; Insulin Resistance
• Other Study ID Numbers: 6006774

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No
• IPD Plan Description: No.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No