Interrupting prolonged sitting with a 15-minute cycling break significantly improved behavioral reaction time, error rate, and inverse efficiency score compared to uninterrupted sitting (ps < 0.05).
RCT (n=71)
Crossover
Do 15-minute moderate or vigorous cycling breaks during prolonged sitting improve executive function and microvascular status in college students?
Interrupting prolonged sitting with 15-minute moderate or vigorous cycling breaks acutely improves executive function and microvascular status in college students.
Effect estimate: β = -2.62, -0.19, -3.04
p-value: p=< 0.05
Acknowledging the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting, this study examined the effects of an acute exercise break during prolonged sitting on executive function, cortical hemodynamics, and microvascular status. In this randomized crossover study, 71 college students completed three conditions: (i) uninterrupted sitting (SIT); (ii) SIT with a 15 min moderate-intensity cycling break (MIC); and (iii) SIT with a 15 min vigorous-intensity cycling break (VIC). Behavioral outcomes, retinal vessel diameters (central retinal artery equivalents CRAE, retinal vein equivalents CRVE, arteriovenous ratio AVR), cortical activation, and effective connectivity were evaluated. Linear mixed models identified significant positive effects of exercise conditions on behavioral reaction time (RT), error rate, and inverse efficiency score (β = -2.62, -0.19, -3.04: ps < 0.05). MIC and VIC conditions produced pre-to-post-intervention increases in CRAE and CRVE (β = 4.46, 6.34), frontal activation, and resting-state and task-state causal density (β = 0.37, 0.06) (ps < 0.05) compared to SIT; VIC was more beneficial for executive function and neurobiological parameters. The effect of AVR on average RT was mediated through task-based causal density (indirect effect: -0.82). Acutely interrupting prolonged sitting improves executive function, microvascular status, and cortical activation and connectivity, with causal density mediating the microvascular-executive function link.
Yu et al. (Mon,) conducted a rct in Prolonged sitting (n=71). Moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity cycling break vs. Uninterrupted sitting was evaluated on Behavioral reaction time (RT), error rate, and inverse efficiency score (β = -2.62, -0.19, -3.04, p=< 0.05). Interrupting prolonged sitting with a 15-minute cycling break significantly improved behavioral reaction time, error rate, and inverse efficiency score compared to uninterrupted sitting (ps < 0.05).