Reallocating sitting time to standing or stepping through isotemporal analysis: associations with markers of chronic low-grade inflammation

device. Linear regression modelling employing an isotemporal substitution approach was used to quantify the association of theoretically substituting 60 minutes of sitting per day for standing or stepping on interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and leptin. Reallocating 60 minutes of sitting time per day for standing was associated with a -4% (95% CI -7%, -1%) reduction in IL-6 (p = 0.048). Reallocating 60 minutes of sitting time for light stepping was also associated with lower IL-6 levels (-28% (-46%, -4%; p = 0.025)). Substituting sitting for moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) stepping was associated with lower CRP (-41% (-75%, -8%; p = 0.032)), leptin (-24% (-34%, -12%; p ≤ 0.001)) and IL-6 (-16% (-28%, 10%; p = 0.036). Theoretically replacing 60 minutes of sitting per day with an equal amount of either standing or stepping yields beneficial associations upon markers of chronic-low grade inflammation.