Circulation

Swapping sitting for standing fails to lower desk workers' BP

October 1, 2024

A 3-month intervention aimed at reducing sedentary behavior (SB) didn't effectively lower BP. Future research will explore the impact of reducing SB through activities other than standing at work and investigate the differing associations between standing and pulse wave velocity (PWV) during work and nonwork periods.

Study details

The randomized RESET-BP trial enrolled desk workers, ages 18 to 65 years (mean age, 45), with systolic BP 120 to 159 or diastolic BP 80 to 99 mm Hg, off antihypertensive meds, and reporting <150 min/wk of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. The intervention aimed to replace 2 to 4 hours per day of SB with standing and stepping through coaching, a wrist-worn activity prompter, and a sit-stand desk.

Results

Compared with controls, intervention participants had reduced SB (-1.15±0.17 hrs/day), increased standing (0.94±0.14 hrs/day), and increased stepping (5.4±2.4 min/day; all P<0.05). SB and activity changes primarily occurred during work hours and were below the goal. The intervention didn't lower BP or PWV in the intervention group compared with controls. As anticipated, increases in non-work-time standing were favorably associated with carotid-femoral PWV.

Source:

Barone Gibbs B, et al. (2024, August 21). Circulation. Effects of Sedentary Behavior Reduction on Blood Pressure in Desk Workers: Results From the RESET-BP Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39166323/