Blood Pressure Response to Interrupting Workplace Sitting Time With Non-Exercise Physical Activity

Taking breaks from sitting lowers blood pressure:

Abstract​

Objective:​

To evaluate the blood pressure (BP) effects of a yearlong e-health solution designed to interrupt prolonged occupational sitting time.

Methods:​

BP data of 228 desk-based employees (45.1 ± 10.5 years) were analyzed at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.

Results:​

Systolic BP significantly reduced from baseline for the first 9 months (1.0 to 3.4 mmHg; P < 0.01) while diastolic and mean arterial pressure decreased for the full 12-months (4 to 5 mmHg for diastolic pressure and 3.6 to 4.2 mmHg for MAP; all P < 0.01).

Participants used the e-health solution 5.5 ± 2.0 times/day in the first 3 months which reduced to 4.2 ± 2.5 times/day by the end of the study (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:​

An e-health solution designed to increase non-exercise physical activity by interrupting sitting time in the workplace is feasible and produced long-term reductions in blood pressure.

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Non-sedentary activity as potentially lifesaving:


"If you simply convert sedentary TV time to active time, you could lose 50 pounds a year."

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More info about blood pressure:


"Stress can cause a steep rise in blood pressure. But when stress goes away, blood pressure returns to what it was before the stress."