The Relationship between Leisure-Time Sedentary Behaviors and Metabolic Risks in Middle-Aged Chinese Women

The prevalence of metabolic diseases has increased over the past few decades, and epidemiological studies suggest that metabolic diseases may be associated with lifestyle. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between leisure-time sedentary behaviors (LTSBs) and metabolic risks in middle-aged women in China. Data came from the China National Nutrition and Health Surveillance (CNNHS) in 2010–2012. A total of 2643 women aged 46 to 53 years were involved. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the association of leisure-time sedentary duration (LTSD) with total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI). Restrictive cubic splines (RCS) were used to plot the curves between LTSD and the risk of metabolic diseases. Region, education, income, alcohol consumption, exercise, daily energy intake, and fat energy ratio were adjusted for all models. After adjusting for potential influencing factors, the results of multiple linear regression showed that for each additional hour increase in LTSD, TC and TG increased by 0.03 mmol/L and 0.04 mmol/L, respectively. The results of RCS curves showed that the risks of MetS (p for trend = 0.0276), obesity (p for trend = 0.0369), hypertension (p for trend = 0.0062), and hypercholesteremia (p for trend = 0.0033) increased with the increase in LTSD. LTSB was associated with the risks of MetS, obesity, hypertension, and hypercholesteremia in middle-aged women. Reducing LTSD may be an effective way of preventing metabolic diseases in middle-aged women.