A recent study published in Circulation found that a 3-month intervention aimed at reducing sedentary behavior among desk workers did not significantly lower blood pressure or arterial stiffness. The study, known as RESET-BP, challenges the assumption that reducing sedentary time directly translates to improved cardiovascular health in individuals with elevated blood pressure.
The research, led by Bethany Barone Gibbs, PhD, from West Virginia School of Public Health, involved 271 desk workers aged 21 to 65 years with systolic blood pressure between 120 mm Hg and 159 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure between 80 mm Hg and 99 mm Hg. Participants were not taking antihypertensive medications and reported limited moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Study Design and Results
Participants were randomized into either a 3-month multicomponent sedentary behavior reduction intervention group (n = 136) or a no-contact control group (n = 135). The intervention focused on replacing sedentary behavior with standing and light-intensity physical activity. Accelerometers were used to track sedentary behavior and physical activity at baseline and after 3 months.
The intervention group successfully reduced sedentary behavior by 1.15 hours per day (P < .0001) and increased standing by 0.94 hours per day (P < .0001) compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was observed in the change in resting systolic blood pressure between the two groups (-0.22 mm Hg).
Associations and Limitations
Interestingly, the researchers found that reductions in sedentary behavior during work time were associated with decreases in diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.15; P = .0165) and increases in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (r = –0.19; P = .0059). Conversely, increased standing during work time was associated with increased carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (r = 0.17; P = .0111), while increased standing during non-work time was associated with decreased carotid-femoral wave velocity (r = –0.14; P = .0379).
The authors acknowledged limitations, including concerns about the external validity of the findings due to participant characteristics. They suggest that future research should focus on different populations, such as older adults, individuals with higher blood pressure, and those with lower activity levels. Additionally, they recommend exploring the cardiovascular effects of greater reductions in sedentary behavior and replacing it with activities other than standing at a sit-stand desk during work hours.
Implications for Future Research
"Taken together, our findings indicate that reducing sedentary behavior by [approximately] 1 hour each day and primarily through standing during work is not an effective nonpharmacologic strategy for reducing BP and improving arterial stiffness," the researchers concluded. Further investigation is warranted to determine more effective strategies for mitigating the cardiovascular risks associated with prolonged sedentary behavior.
