The Effects of Single Long and Accumulated Short Bouts of Exercise on Cardiovascular Risks in Male Japanese Workers: A Randomized Controlled Study Patterns of Sedentary Behavior and Mortality in U.S. Middle-Aged and Older Adults Design and baseline characteristics of the Short bouTs of Exercise for Preschoolers (STEP) study Very short intermittent vs continuous bouts of activity in sedentary adults. Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Weight Outcomes: Does Every Minute Count? A randomized controlled trial of continuous activity, short bouts, and a 10,000 step guideline in inactive adults. A randomized trial comparing structured and lifestyle goals in an internet-mediated walking program for people with type 2 diabetes Effectiveness of long and short bout walking on increasing physical activity in women. Accumulating brisk walking for fitness, cardiovascular risk, and psychological health. The effects of 60 minutes of brisk walking per week, accumulated in two different patterns, on cardiovascular risk. Providing sedentary adults with choices for meeting their walking goals. Training effects of short bouts of stair climbing on cardiorespiratory fitness, blood lipids, and homocysteine in sedentary young women Effects of short versus long bouts of aerobic exercise in sedentary women with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. The effects of short- vs. long-bout exercise on mood, VO2max, and percent body fat. A personalized approach to exercise promotion in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. The Los Angeles Lift Off: a sociocultural environmental change intervention to integrate physical activity into the workplace. Benefits of a worksite or home‐based bench stepping intervention for sedentary middle‐aged adults – a pilot study Web-Based Behavioral Intervention Increases Maternal Exercise but Does Not Prevent Excessive Gestational Weight Gain in Previously Sedentary Women. Does practicing hatha yoga satisfy recommendations for intensity of physical activity which improves and maintains health and cardiovascular fitness? Acute effects of a short bout of moderate versus light intensity exercise versus inactivity on tobacco withdrawal symptoms in sedentary smokers Breaking up Sedentary Time in Overweight/Obese Adults on Work Days and Non-Work Days: Results from a Feasibility Study Organizational-Level Strategies With or Without an Activity Tracker to Reduce Office Workers’ Sitting Time: Rationale and Study Design of a Pilot Cluster-Randomized Trial Reproducibility of Accelerometer-Assessed Physical Activity and Sedentary Time.
The aim of this study was to determine whether accumulated short bouts of exercise can achieve the same cardiovascular benefits as a single long bout of exercise in sedentary male Japanese workers and to compare the programs ’ relative effects on oxidative stress . Twenty-three sedentary male workers were r and omly assigned into 2 different exercise programs : a Long-bout group , which performed a single period of continuous exercise ( Long-bout group : 30 min × 1 ) 3 d per week , and a Short-bouts group , which performed 3 short bouts of exercise ( Short-bouts group : 10 min × 3 ) 3 d per week . Cardiovascular risk factors , including the plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances ( TBARS ) level , were examined at baseline and after both 10 and 20 wk . In the Long-bout group , waist circumference and maximum oxygen uptake ( VO2max ) significantly improved after 20 wk . The Short-bouts group demonstrated significant increases in VO2max after 10 weeks and in HDL-C after 20 wk . Plasma TBARS significantly decreased after 20 weeks in the Long-bout group and tended to decrease ( but not significantly ) in the Short-bouts group . These results indicate that accumulated short bouts of exercise are an effective option , especially for busy workers , for incorporating exercise into one ’s lifestyle Adults are sedentary for an alarming 9 to 10 hours per day ( 1 ) . Accordingly , the popular press has coined the phrase sitting is the new smoking to describe a current epidemic of developed nations ( 24 ) . Evidence indicates that sedentary time is associated with incident cardiovascular disease , incidence of cardiovascular diseaserelated risk factors , and mortality ( 5 , 6 ) . Of note , the risk conferred by prolonged sedentariness is eliminated only by high levels of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity ( MVPA ) ( about 60 to 75 min/d ) , which exceed physical activity recommendations ( 7 , 8) . As such , sedentary behavior is now believed to represent a clinical ly important aspect of a person 's physical activity profile and is no longer considered simply the extreme low end of the physical activity continuum ( 5 ) . Studies linking sedentary behavior to health outcomes have relied almost exclusively on self-reported  sedentary time  , which is subject to reporting bias and measurement error ( 9 ) . A 2015 systematic review ( 5 ) identified only 1 study ( NHANES [ National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ] ) that examined the association between objective ly measured sedentary time and health outcomes , a study limited by a small event rate ( 10 ) . New studies using NHANES data have since been published , with longer follow-up and higher event rates ( 1115 ) . However , some of these studies have reported an association between objective ly measured sedentary time and mortality ( 11 , 14 , 15 ) , but others have not ( 12 , 13 ) . Additional cohort studies are thus needed to rectify evidence gaps . Furthermore , studies using accelerometers to objective ly measure sedentary behavior conventionally operationalize sedentary time as the total number of sedentary minutes per day . This approach ignores patterns of accumulated sedentary behavior over time . For example , accumulation of sedentary time in a few long bouts or many short bouts represents 2 distinct patterns of sedentary time accrual . Experimental studies have shown that acute periods of prolonged , uninterrupted sedentary behavior cause greater detrimental cardiometabolic effects than sedentary behavior that is periodically interrupted ( 1618 ) , suggestive that it is not just total sedentary time that is relevant to health outcomes , but also the manner in which it is accumulated . Few longitudinal studies , however , have explored the association between prolonged , uninterrupted sedentary behavior and mortality to corroborate these findings . To inform guidelines on reducing sedentary behavior ( target reductions in overall sedentary time or target interruption of prolonged sedentary bouts ) , evidence from prospect i ve studies is needed to 1 ) confirm the association between total sedentary time and mortality using objective measures , 2 ) determine whether prolonged sedentary bouts confer risk for death , and 3 ) eluci date whether the total volume of sedentary time and its pattern of accumulation individually or jointly contribute to risk for death . The purpose of this study , therefore , was to examine the association between objective ly measured sedentary time ( both total volume and accrual in prolonged bouts ) and all-cause mortality in a national cohort of U.S. middle-aged and older adults enrolled in the REGARDS ( Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke ) study . Methods Study Population REGARDS is a population -based study design ed to examine racial and regional disparities in stroke . It comprises 30239 white and black adults aged 45 years or older enrolled between 2003 and 2007 from across the contiguous United States ( 19 , 20 ) . Detailed design and methods for REGARDS are described elsewhere ( 21 ) . Briefly , demographic and cardiovascular risk factor data were collected by telephone interview and an in-home physical assessment on enrollment . A detailed summary of baseline measures is provided in the Supplement . Participants ( or their proxies ) were then followed for 6-month intervals to ascertain vital status . Objective measurements of sedentary behavior were collected from active REGARDS participants from 2009 to 2013 ( mean time from study enrollment , 5.7 years [ SD , 1.5 ] ; range , 1.9 to 9.5 years ) ( 22 ) . A total of 7985 participants adhered to accelerometer wear requirements ( 4 days with accelerometer wear 10 hours ) , provided follow-up data , and were available for the current analyses ( Supplement Figure 1 ) . Supplement Table 1 shows the characteristics of included versus excluded REGARDS participants . The REGARDS study protocol was approved by the institutional review boards of participating institutions . All participants provided informed consent . Supplement . Supplementary Material Accelerometer Data Collection Methods for accelerometer data collection are described elsewhere ( 22 ) . Briefly , participants were fitted with an Actical ( Philips Respironics ) accelerometer secured to their right hip using a nylon belt and were instructed to wear the device during waking hours for 7 consecutive days . The Actical had been vali date d formeasurement of physical activity and sedentary behavior and was shown to have acceptable reliability ( 2325 ) . Activity counts were summed over 1-minute epochs . Nonwear periods were defined as at least 150 consecutive minutes of 0 activity counts . This nonwear algorithm was previously vali date d against daily log sheets in REGARDS participants ( 26 ) . Measurements of 0 to 49 , 50 to 1064 , and at least 1065 counts per minute were defined as sedentary behavior , light-intensity physical activity , and MVPA , respectively , as determined in a laboratory-based calibration study ( 27 ) . A sedentary bout was defined as consecutive minutes in which the accelerometer registered fewer than 50 counts per minute . A sedentary break was defined as at least 1 minute in which 50 or more counts per minute were registered after a sedentary bout . Both sedentary bouts and breaks were exclusively continuous periods , with no interruptions or nonwear intervals allowed in the definition . Outcome Ascertainment All-cause mortality was the primary outcome , defined as any death after completion of the accelerometer protocol regardless of cause . Date s of death were confirmed through review of death certificates , medical records , and administrative data bases . Deaths through 4 September 2015 were included in the current analysis . Statistical Analysis Sedentary and physical activity variables were averaged across compliant days ( 10 hours of wear ) . Because of a high correlation between total sedentary time and wear time ( Supplement Figure 2 ) , we corrected for the influence of wear time by st and ardizing total sedentary time to 16 hours of wear time per day using the residuals obtained when regressing total sedentary time on wear time ( see Methods section of the Supplement ) ( 2830 ) . Participants were stratified into quartiles according to total sedentary time and , separately , mean sedentary bout duration ( a measure of overall prolonged , uninterrupted sedentary behavior ) . Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was used to calculate the hazard ratio ( HR ) for all-cause mortality associated with quartiles of total sedentary time ( and separately , mean sedentary bout length ) . Crude HRs were initially calculated . Subsequent HRs were calculated after adjustment for age , race , sex , region of residence , education , and season the accelerometer was worn ( model 1 ) , with further adjustment for current smoking , alcohol use , body mass index ( BMI ) , diabetes , hypertension , dyslipidemia , estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 , atrial fibrillation , history of coronary heart disease , and history of stroke ( model 2 ) . Models were additionally adjusted for MVPA expressed continuously ( model 3 ) . Tests for linear trend across quartiles were conducted by including the quartile for each participant as an ordinal variable in regression models . Proportional hazards assumptions were confirmed with a Kolmogorov-type supremum test ( 31 ) . The above analyses were then repeated in a fully adjusted model , testing interactions for age ( < 65 and 65 years ) , sex ( male and female ) , race ( black and white ) , BMI category ( normal weight and overweight or obese ) , and MVPA category ( < 150 min/wk and 150 min/wk ) . As a secondary analysis , we examined the continuous doseresponse relationship between each sedentary characteristic and all-cause mortality in a fully adjusted model ( model 3 ) using restricted cubic splines ( 32 ) . Cubic polynomials were fitted with the mean of each sedentary characteristic set as the reference and knots placed at the 5th , 35th , 65th , and 95th percentiles ( 33 ) . Nonlinear associations were evaluated using the likelihood ratio test . For nonlinear associations , spline models were used to describe the associations and when the association was determined to be linear , a linear model was used . Because of multicollinearity between total sedentary time and mean sedentary bout duration ( r= 0.61 ) , both variables were not included in the same model . Alternatively , to examine the individual and joint associations of total sedentary time and prolonged , uninterrupted sedentary behavior with mortality , participants were classified into 4 categories : low total sedentary time ( < 750 min/d ) and low prolonged sedentary bout time ( < 10 min/bout ) , low total sedentary time  and high prolonged sedentary bout time  ( 10 min/bout ) , high total sedentary time  ( 750 min/d ) and low prolonged sedentary bout time , and high total sedentary time and high prolonged sedentary bout time . Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality were calculated for each joint category in comparison with the lowlow group in a fully adjusted model ( model 3 ) . Thresholds for total sedentary time ( 750 min/d ) and mean sedentary bout duration ( 10 min/bout ) were selected on the basis of the restricted cubic splines and were confirmed using a method described by Contal and O'Quigley ( see Methods section of the Supplement ) ( 34 ) . To allow for the possibility that sedentary bouts Background Most preschool centers provide two 30-min sessions of gross-motor/outdoor playtime per preschool day . Within this time frame , children accumulate most of their activity within the first 10 min . This paper describes the design and baseline participant characteristics of the Short bouTs of Exercise for Preschoolers ( STEP ) study . The STEP study is a cluster r and omized controlled study design ed to examine the effects of short bouts of structured physical activity ( SBS-PA ) implemented within the classroom setting as part of design ated gross-motor playtime on during-school physical activity ( PA ) in preschoolers . Methods / Design Ten preschool centers serving low-income families were r and omized into  SBS-PA versus unstructured PA ( UPA ) . SBS-PA schools were asked to implement age-appropriate 10 min structured PA routines within the classroom setting , twice daily , followed by 20 min of usual unstructured playtime . UPA intervention consisted of 30 min of supervised unstructured free playtime twice daily . Interventions were implemented during the morning and afternoon design ated gross-motor playtime for 30 min/session , five days/week for six months . Outcome measures were between group difference in during-preschool PA ( accelerometers and direct observation ) over six-months . Ten preschool centers , representing 34 classrooms and 315 children , enrolled in the study . The average age and BMI percentile for the participants was 4.1 ± 0.8 years and 69th percentile , respectively . Participants spent 74 % and 6 % of their preschool day engaged in sedentary and MVPA , respectively . Discussion Results from the STEP intervention could provide evidence that a PA policy that exposes preschoolers to shorter bouts of structured PA throughout the preschool day could potentially increase preschoolers ’ PA levels . Trial registration Clinical trials.gov , OBJECTIVE Whether accumulating short intermittent bouts of light-to-moderate physical activity ( LMPA ) can elicit significant improvements in the fitness of sedentary adults , compared to one longer continuous bout . METHODS Fifty sedentary 35- to 60-year-old adults in Hong Kong were r and omly appointed to one of two gender-balanced intervention programs : Exercise Prescription Model ( EPM ) of 30-minute continuous activity , 3 - 4 days per week , or a Lifestyle group ( LIFE ) of 6-minute activity , 5 times per day , 4 - 5 days per week . Aerobic fitness ( VO(2)max ) , mass , body composition , blood pressure , waist-to-hip ratio , and body mass index ( BMI ) were assessed at baseline ( December 1995 ) and after 8 weeks . RESULTS Nearly half of bouts by the LIFE group were < or = 6 min , while 85 % of the EPM bouts were > or = 30 min , with no differences in additional energy expenditure between groups ( EPM : 163.0+/-89.6 MET h vs LIFE : 148.2+/-71.6 MET h ) . Both groups significantly improved their VO(2)max , 7.4 % ( ES=0.36 ) and 5.3 % ( ES=0.24 ) for the EPM and Lifestyle groups respectively ( F((1,43))=34.0 , p<0.0001 ) . CONCLUSIONS Accumulating multiple short bouts of LMPA , of which approximately 50 % were < or = 6 min , can provide significant improvements in the fitness of sedentary adults that is not dissimilar as one continuous bout of similar total duration Purpose . The purpose of this study was to test if moderate to vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) in less than the recommended ≥ 10-minute bouts related to weight outcomes . Design . Secondary data analysis . Setting . R and om sample from the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ( NHANES ) . Participants . A total of 4511 adults aged 18 to 64 years from the 2003–2006 NHANES . Method . Clinical ly measured body mass index ( BMI ) and overweight/obese status were regressed on accelerometer measures of minutes per day in higher-intensity long bouts ( ≥ 10 minutes , ≥ 2020 accelerometer counts per minute [ cpm ] ) , higher-intensity short bouts ( < 10 minutes , ≥ 2020 cpm ) , lower-intensity long bouts ( ≥ 10 minutes , 760–2019 cpm ) , and lower-intensity short bouts ( < 10 minutes , 760–2019 cpm ) . Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were controlled . Results . Both higher-intensity short bouts and long bouts of PA  related to lower BMI and risk of overweight/obesity . Neither lower-intensity short bouts nor long bouts related to BMI or risk of overweight/obesity Conclusion . The current ≥ 10-minute MVPA bouts guideline was based on health benefits other than weight outcomes . Our findings showed that for weight gain prevention , accumulated higher-intensity PA bouts of < 10 minutes are highly beneficial , supporting the public health promotion message that “ every minute counts . OBJECTIVE Although several studies have examined the effect of accumulated bouts on health outcomes , the impact of recommending short bouts on activity-related behavior in health promotion efforts has received minimal investigation . METHOD During this 5-week study in 2007 - 2008 , 43 university employees ( 8 male , 35 female ) in the Southeastern United States were r and omly assigned to a group recommended to achieve ( a ) 10,000 steps ( 10 K ) , ( b ) 30-minutes ( 30 min ) of continuous physical activity , or ( c ) 30-minutes of activity in bouts of at least 10 minutes ( bouts ) . RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the 10 K group showed the largest increase in step counts whereas the bouts group showed the smallest change over the intervention period , p=0.01 . Condition differences were most pronounced on days in which participants met their activity recommendation . Accelerometer results revealed that the 10 K ( d=1.1 ) and 30 min groups ( d=0.89 ) showed large increases in minutes of moderate to vigorous activity ( MVPA ) , whereas the bouts group showed minimal change ( d=0.11 ) . Although activity recommendations did not differentially affect self-efficacy , participants from all conditions showed decreased self-efficacy across the intervention ( p=0.02 ) , highlighting the need to develop strategies to increase self-efficacy in activity promotion efforts Background The majority of individuals with type 2 diabetes do not exercise regularly . Pedometer-based walking interventions can help ; however , pedometer-based interventions targeting only total daily accumulated steps might not yield the same health benefits as physical activity programs specifying a minimum duration and intensity of physical activity bouts . Methods This pilot r and omized trial compared two goal - setting strategies : 1 ) lifestyle goals targeting total daily accumulated step counts and 2 ) structured goals targeting bout steps defined as walking that lasts for 10 minutes or longer at a pace of at least 60 steps per minute . We sought to determine which goal - setting strategy was more effective at increasing bout steps . Participants were sedentary adults with type 2 diabetes . All participants : wore enhanced pedometers with embedded USB ports ; uploaded detailed , time-stamped step-count data to a website called Stepping Up to Health ; and received automated step-count feedback , automatically calculated goals , and tailored motivational messages throughout the six-week intervention . Only the automated goal calculations and step-count feedback differed between the two groups . The primary outcome of interest was increase in steps taken during the previously defined bouts of walking ( lasting at least 10 minutes or longer at a pace of at least 60 steps per minute ) between baseline and end of the intervention . Results Thirty-five participants were r and omized and 30 ( 86 % ) completed the pilot study . Both groups significantly increased bout steps , but there was no statistically significant difference between groups . Among study completers , bout steps increased by 1921 ± 2729 steps a day . Those who received lifestyle goals were more satisfied with the intervention ( p = 0.006 ) and wore the pedometer more often ( p < 0.001 ) than those who received structured goals . Conclusion In this six-week intervention , Lifestyle Goals group participants achieved increases in bout steps comparable to the increases seen in the Structured Goals group , representing almost a mile a day of additional moderate intensity bout activity . Pedometer-based walking programs that emphasize total accumulated step counts are more acceptable to participants and are as effective at increasing moderate intensity bouts of physical activity as programs that use structured goals .Trial registration BACKGROUND The accumulation of physical activity ( PA ) throughout the day has been suggested as a means to increase PA behavior . It is not known , however , if accumulated PA results in equivalent increases in PA behavior compared with one continuous session . The purpose of this investigation was to compare changes in  PA  between participants assigned to walk daily in accumulated shorter bouts vs. one continuous session . METHODS In this 8-week r and omized controlled trial , 60 inactive women were r and omly assigned to one of the following : ( 1 ) control group , ( 2 ) 30 minutes a day of walking 5 days a week in one continuous long bout ( LB ) , or ( 3 ) three short 10-minute bouts ( SB ) of walking a day , all at a prescribed heart rate intensity . Walking was assessed by pedometer and self-reported walking log . Before and after measures were taken of average steps/day , resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure ( SBP , DBP ) , resting heart rate ( RHR ) , six-minute walk test ( 6MWT ) distance , height , weight , body mass index ( BMI ) , and hip and waist circumference . RESULTS Both walking groups significantly increased PA measured as steps/day compared to controls ( p < 0.001 ) , and no significant differences were found between LB and SB groups . The LB group demonstrated significant decreases in hip circumference and significant increases in 6MWT distance compared to the control group . CONCLUSIONS Both walking groups significantly increased PA participation . LB group participants completed more walking at a higher intensity than the SB and control groups , which result ed in significant increases in health benefits PURPOSE To compare the effects of different patterns of regular brisk walking on fitness , risk factors for cardiovascular disease , and psychological well-being in previously sedentary adults . METHODS Twenty-one subjects ( 14 women ) , aged 44.5 + /- 6.1 yr ( mean + /- SD ) were r and omly assigned to two different , 6-wk programs of brisk walking in a cross-over design , with an interval of 2 wk . One program comprised one 30-min walk per day , 5 d.wk(-1 ) ( long bout ) and the other three 10-min walks per day , also 5 d.wk(-1 ) ( short bouts ) . All walking was at 70 - 80 % of predicted maximal heart rate . Maximal oxygen uptake ( (.)VO(2max ) ) , body composition , resting arterial blood pressure , fasting plasma lipoprotein variables , and psychological parameters were assessed before and after each program . RESULTS Overall , subjects completed 88.2 + /- 1.1 % and 91.3 + /- 4.1 % of prescribed total walking time in the short- and long-bout programs , respectively . Both programs increased plasma concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol , and decreased concentrations of triacylglycerol and total cholesterol ( all < 0.05 ) . There were no changes in body mass , but the sum of four skinfolds , waist circumference , and hip circumference were decreased after both walking programs ( all P<0.05 ) . Predicted (.)VO(2max ) increased with both programs ( P<0.05 ) , but this increase was greater with the program based on short bouts ( P<0.05 ) . Both walking patterns result ed in similar decreases in tension/anxiety ( P<0.05 ) . CONCLUSION These findings suggest that three short bouts ( 10 min ) of brisk walking accumulated throughout the day are at least as effective as one continuous bout of equal total duration in reducing cardiovascular risk and improving aspects of mood in previously sedentary individuals BACKGROUND Current ACSM guidelines recommend that adults should exercise for 20 - 60 min on 3 - 5 days.week(-1 ) ( M.L. Pollock , et al. , The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness , and flexibility in healthy adults . Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise , 30 ( 6 ) ( 1998 ) 975 - 991 . ) . For individuals constrained by a busy lifestyle , an exercise prescription that delivers benefits with the minimum investment of time is attractive . The purpose of the present study , therefore , was to examine the effect of instructing sedentary individuals to undertake 20 min of brisk walking , in two different patterns , 3 days per week , on fitness and other cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) risk factors . METHODS Forty-eight subjects ( 31 women ) mean ( + /-SD ) age 45.7 + /- 9.4 year were r and omly assigned to either one 20-min walk ( single bout ) , two 10-min walks ( accumulated bouts ) 3 days week(-1 ) for 12-week , or no training ( control ) . Oxygen consumption ( VO2 ) , heart rate ( HR ) , and ratings of perceived exertion ( RPE ) were measured during a 4-stage treadmill test at pre- and post-intervention . Body composition , resting blood pressure and fasting lipoproteins were also assessed . Thirty-two subjects completed the study . RESULTS There was a significant difference between single-bout and accumulated-bout walkers in the reduction of HR at stages 2 and 3 of the treadmill test from pre- to post-intervention ( P < 0.05 ) . There were no differences between groups for changes in VO2 or RPE from pre- to post-intervention . There were also no changes in body mass , adiposity , blood pressure , waist and hip circumferences , or lipid/lipoproteins . CONCLUSION Brisk walking for 20 min on 3 days of the week fails to alter cardiovascular disease risk factors in previously sedentary adults BACKGROUND This study was design ed to test different ways of meeting the new ACSM/CDC recommendations for physical activity stating that all Americans at least 2 years of age should obtain 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on most days of the week . METHODS Thirty-two sedentary 18- to 55-year-old adults were r and omly assigned to three groups of brisk walking/6 days per week : 30 continuous minutes , three 10-minute bouts , and 30 minutes in any combination of bouts as long as each bout was at least 5 minutes .  Aerobic fitness , blood pressure , body composition , and physical activity were assessed at baseline , at end of program ( 16 weeks ) , and at follow-up ( 32 weeks ) . RESULTS All groups significantly ( P < /= 0.05 ) improved their aerobic fitness and systolic blood pressure and increased their physical activity at the end of the program . At follow-up all groups maintained these changes , while additionally reducing their percentage body fat and diastolic blood pressure . CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that a walking prescription of 30 minutes per day on most days of the week with the choice to walk in as little as 5 minute bouts can improve cardiovascular health and body composition , as well as help sedentary people maintain those improvements over time . This is supported by all participants indicating that " making walking part of my lifestyle " was the most important factor in maintaining their walking habits Objectives : To study the training effects of eight weeks of stair climbing on Vo2max , blood lipids , and homocysteine in sedentary , but otherwise healthy young women . Methods : Fifteen women ( mean ( SD ) age 18.8 ( 0.7 ) years ) were r and omly assigned to control ( n = 7 ) or stair climbing ( n = 8) groups . Stair climbing was progressively increased from one ascent a day in week 1 to five ascents a day in weeks 7 and 8 . Training took place five days a week on a public access staircase ( 199 steps ) , at a stepping rate of 90 steps a minute . Each ascent took about two minutes to complete . Subjects agreed not to change their diet or lifestyle over the experimental period . Results : Relative to controls , the stair climbing group displayed a 17.1 % increase in Vo2max and a 7.7 % reduction in low density lipoprotein cholesterol ( p<0.05 ) over the training period . No change occurred in total cholesterol , high density lipoprotein cholesterol , triglycerides , or homocysteine . Conclusions : The study confirms that accumulating short bouts of stair climbing activity throughout the day can favourably alter important cardiovascular risk factors in previously sedentary young women . Such exercise may be easily incorporated into the working day and therefore should be promoted by public health guidelines BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The purpose s of this study were : ( 1 ) to assess the effectiveness of a 16-week progressive program of home-based , videotape-based , low-impact aerobic exercise on physical function and signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia in previously sedentary women aged 20 to 55 years and ( 2 ) to compare the effects of 1 long exercise bout versus 2 short exercise bouts per training day ( fractionation ) on physical function , signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia , and exercise adherence . SUBJECTS One hundred forty-three sedentary women were r and omly assigned to 1 of 3 groups : a group who trained using a long bout of exercise ( LBE group , n=51 ) , a group who trained using short bouts of exercise ( SBE group , n=56 ) , and a group who performed no exercise ( NE group , n=36 ) . METHODS The SBE group exercised twice daily , and the LBE group worked out once daily . Both groups progressed in total daily training duration from 10 to 30 minutes , 3 to 5 times a week , for 16 weeks . Physical and psychological well-being , symptoms , and self-efficacy were evaluated using a multivariate analysis of variance . RESULTS Dropout rates for the NE , SBE , and LBE groups were 14 % , 38 % , and 29 % , respectively . The NE group differed from the LBE group in disease severity , self-efficacy , and psychological well-being ( midtest , efficacy analysis ) and from the SBE group in disease severity and self-efficacy ( posttest , efficacy analysis ) . Exercise adherence was greater for the LBE group than for the SBE group between weeks 5 and 8 of the training program . No other differences between exercise groups were found . DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Progressive , home-based , low-impact aerobics improved physical function and fibromyalgia symptoms minimally in participants who completed at least two thirds of the recommended exercise . Fractionation of exercise training provided no advantage in terms of exercise adherence , improvements in fibromyalgia symptoms or physical function . High attrition rates and problems with exercise adherence were experienced in both exercise groups BACKGROUND To compare the ACSM-CDC physical activity accumulation recommendation to the traditional recommendation , for impact on mood and physiological markers of fitness . METHODS R and omized controlled trial with sedentary male ( n = 21 ) and female ( n = 19 ) subjects assigned to walk either long bouts ( LB ; 30 min/day ) , short bouts ( SB ; 3 x 10 min/day ) , or a nonexercise control ( CTL ) group for 8 weeks . Pre- and post- measures were collected for V02max and percent body fat . Pre- , mid- , and post- measures were collected for the Profile of Mood States ( POMS ) . RESULTS VO2max increased in the SB group ( + 7.2 % ) and LB ( + 6.7 % ; P < or = 0.05 ) . Percent body fat decreased in the LB group ( -6.7 % ; P < or = 0.05 ) . Total mood disturbance ( TMD ) decreased in the LB and SB groups ( P < or = 0.05 ) ; only the LB group showed reductions compared to the CTL group ( P < or = 0.05 ) . Tension-anxiety and vigor-activity were altered in the LB group compared to the other two groups ( P < or = 0.05 ) . Reductions in percent body fat correlated with TMD ( r = 0.38 ; P < or = 0.05 ) and Tension-anxiety reduction ( r = 0.40 ; P < or = 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS LB and SB walking produced similar and significant improvements in VO2max LB walking was more effective at reducing percent body fat , tension-anxiety and total mood disturbance , and increasing vigor compared to the control group PURPOSE This exploratory study tested the feasibility of conducting a novel , personalized exercise intervention based upon the current fitness levels of adolescents with type 1 diabetes ( T1DM ) . The relationships of perceptions of benefits and barriers to exercise , exercise self-efficacy and family support to exercise adherence and changes in cardiovascular ( CV ) fitness , quality of life ( QOL ) , and glycemic control were studied . METHODS Adolescents who were sedentary received a grade d exercise test to determine their current fitness level ( VO(2peak ) ) . A 16-wk personalized exercise program was developed for each adolescent based upon individual fitness level and exercise preferences . Pretest and posttest measures of exercise self-efficacy , benefits and barriers to exercise , family support , and diabetes QOL were completed . A1c levels were obtained using the DCA2000 . Adherence to exercise  was measured using the Actigraph Accelerometer . RESULTS Twelve adolescents completed the study . Accelerometry data revealed adherence to 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) per day for a mean of 45.5 ( SD = 23.9)% of the days the accelerometer was worn . Adolescents ' perceptions of family support for exercise improved following the intervention ( p = 0.03 ) . Adolescents who had more daily bouts of exercise lasting 60 min increased their CV fitness ( r = 0.59 , p = 0.04 ) . A1c remained unchanged . CONCLUSIONS Encouraging 60 min of accumulated exercise bouts/d can improve fitness levels in adolescents with T1DM , minimizing future CV risks . Although physical activity increased in adolescents , family based strategies are required to promote current physical activity recommendations PURPOSE To present the development and feasibility testing of a sociocultural environmental change intervention strategy aim ed at integrating physical activity into workplace routine . DESIGN R and omized , controlled , post-test only , intervention trial . Setting . Los Angeles County Department of Health Services ' worksites . PARTICIPANTS Four hundred forty-nine employees , predominantly sedentary , overweight , middle-aged women of color , distributed across 26 meetings . INTERVENTION A single 10-min exercise break during work time involving moderate intensity , low-impact aerobic dance and calisthenic movements to music . MEASURES Primary -level of participation , particularly among sedentary staff ; secondary -self-perceived health status , satisfaction with current fitness level , and mood/affective state . RESULTS More than 90 % of meeting attendees participated in the exercises . Among completely sedentary individuals , intervention participants ' self-perceived health status ratings were significantly lower than controls ' ( OR = 0.17 ; 95 % CI = 0.05 , 0.60 ; P = 0.0003 ) . Among all respondents not regularly physically active , intervention participants ' levels of satisfaction with fitness were more highly correlated with self-ranked physical activity stage of change ( r = 0.588 ) than the control participants ' ( r = 0.376 , z = -2.32 , p = 0.02 ) . Among the completely sedentary , control participants reported significantly higher levels of energy than did intervention participants ( P < 0.01 ) . CONCLUSIONS Captive audiences may be engaged in brief bouts of exercise as a part of the workday , regardless of physical activity level or stage of change . This experience may also appropriately erode sedentary individuals ' self-perception of good health and fitness , providing motivation for adoption of more active lifestyles The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of a low‐volume , vigorous intensity bench stepping programme in sedentary middle‐aged adults . Thirty‐one healthy but sedentary adults ( 12 men ; 55–64 years ) took part in the study . Participants accumulated up to 9 min per day of stepping exercise on three days per week over the 4‐week experimental period  . Parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness , body composition and lower limb muscle strength were measured on three occasions : TS1 ( baseline test ) , TS2 ( following a 4‐week control period ) and TS3 ( following the 4‐week intervention ) . Data were analysed using a repeated‐ measures ANOVA . Adherence to the programme was excellent ( 96 % ) . Relative to the insignificant changes following the control period , parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness were significantly improved following training . No alterations in body composition or lower limb muscle strength were detected . These results show that less than 30 min per week of bench step exercise , accumulated in short bouts throughout the day , can improve parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness after only 4 weeks in previously sedentary middle‐aged adults . Due to its low‐cost , time‐efficient and discrete aspects , stepping exercise may have important implication s for public health initiatives that promote physical activity in a population who commonly report ‘ lack of time ’ as a barrier to physical activity BACKGROUND Innovative methods are warranted to optimize prenatal outcomes . This study 's objective was to determine if a web-based behavioral intervention ( BI ) can prevent excessive gestational weight gain ( GWG ) by increasing physical activity ( PA ) . METHODS Participants were r and omized to usual care ( UC ; n = 21 ) or BI ( n = 24 ) between 10 to 14 weeks gestation . GWG , PA , and diet were assessed at baseline , mid- , and late pregnancy . RESULTS No differences in GWG or adherence to GWG recommendations presented between groups . Total UC MET-minutes significantly decreased from baseline to late-pregnancy ( 1,234 ± 372 MET-minutes , P = .013 ) . Mid-pregnancy sustained PA was greater for BI than UC ( 20-minute PA bouts : 122 ± 106 vs. 46 ± 48 minutes/week , P = .005 ; 30-minute PA bouts : 74 ± 70 vs. 14 ± 24 minutes/week , P < .001 ) , and greater for BI at mid-pregnancy compared with baseline ( 20-minute PA bouts : 61.3 ± 21.9 ; 30-minute PA bouts : 39.6 ± 14.8 , both P < .05 ) . BI energy intake at mid-pregnancy significantly increased from baseline ( 336 ± 127 kcals , P = .04 ) and was significantly greater than UC ( 2,503 ± 703 vs. 1,894 ± 594 , P = .005 ) . CONCLUSIONS Sedentary pregnant women should increase PA but may need additional dietary counseling to prevent excessive GWG Background Little is known about the metabolic and heart rate responses to a typical hatha yoga session . The purpose s of this study were 1 ) to determine whether a typical yoga practice using various postures meets the current recommendations for levels of physical activity required to improve and maintain health and cardiovascular fitness ; 2 ) to determine the reliability of metabolic costs of yoga across sessions ; 3 ) to compare the metabolic costs of yoga practice to those of treadmill walking . Methods In this observational study , 20 intermediate-to-advanced level yoga practitioners , age 31.4 ± 8.3 years , performed an exercise routine inside a human respiratory chamber ( indirect calorimeter ) while wearing heart rate monitors . The exercise routine consisted of 30 minutes of sitting , 56 minutes of beginner-level hatha yoga administered by video , and 10 minutes of treadmill walking at 3.2 and 4.8 kph each . Measures were mean oxygen consumption ( VO2 ) , heart rate ( HR ) , percentage predicted maximal heart rate ( % MHR ) , metabolic equivalents ( METs ) , and energy expenditure ( kcal ) . Seven subjects repeated the protocol so that measurement reliability could be established . Results Mean values across the entire yoga session for VO2 , HR , % MHR , METs , and energy/min were 0.6 L/kg/min ; 93.2 beats/min ; 49.4 % ; 2.5 ; and 3.2 kcal/min ; respectively . Results of the ICCs ( 2,1 ) for mean values across the entire yoga session for kcal , METs , and % MHR were 0.979 and 0.973 , and 0.865 , respectively . Conclusion Metabolic costs of yoga averaged across the entire session represent low levels of physical activity , are similar to walking on a treadmill at 3.2 kph , and do not meet recommendations for levels of physical activity for improving or maintaining health or cardiovascular fitness . Yoga practice incorporating sun salutation postures exceeding the minimum bout of 10 minutes may contribute some portion of sufficiently intense physical activity to improve cardio-respiratory fitness in unfit or sedentary individuals . The measurement of energy expenditure across yoga sessions is highly reliable Rationale A previous study found that a 10-min bout of moderate intensity exercise reduced cigarette withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke in sedentary smokers but the effect may have been due to participants focusing attention on physical activity rather than the activity itself . Objectives This study examined the effect of 5 min of moderate intensity exercise and 5 min of light intensity exercise on tobacco withdrawal symptoms  amongst sedentary smokers . Methods Eighty-four smokers attended a laboratory session having abstained from smoking for between 11 and 14 h. Participants were r and omly allocated to one of three conditions : ( i ) light intensity exercise [ n=28 ; 10–20 % of heart rate reserve ( HRR ) ] ; ( ii ) moderate intensity exercise ( n=28 ; 40–60 % HRR ) , ( iii ) a passive control condition ( n=28 ) . Both exercise conditions involved 5 min of stationary cycling and participants rated tobacco withdrawal symptoms and cravings immediately before exercise ( baseline ) , during exercise at 2.5 min , immediately following exercise , then after 5 and 10 min of rest . Control participants made the same ratings across an equivalent time period . Results For moderate intensity exercise compared to light intensity exercise and control there was a significant reduction in strength of desire to smoke , relative to baseline , both during exercise and up to 5 min post-exercise . Relative to baseline , there were also significant reductions in restlessness , stress , tension and poor concentration at 5 and 10 min post-exercise , for moderate intensity exercise compared to light intensity exercise and control . Conclusions Five minutes of moderate intensity exercise is associated with a short-term reduction in desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms . Very brief bouts of exercise may therefore be useful as an aid to smoking cessation Office workers are vulnerable to the adverse health effects of sedentary behavior ( i.e. , sitting time ) . Increasing physical activity and preventing time spent sitting is an occupational health priority . This r and omized crossover design study compared the short-term ( 3-days ) effects of hourly interruptions of sedentary time with 5-min micrrobouts of activity for 9 hours ( MICRO ) to a sedentary control condition ( SED ) and a duration -matched continuous single bout of physical activity ( 45-min/d , ONE ) condition on inclinometer-derived sitting-time on work and non-work days in sedentary overweight/obese adults . Differences in sitting/lying , st and ing , stepping , number of sit/st and transitions , time spent in moderate and vigorous activity ( MVPA ) , energy expenditure , self-perceived vigor and fatigue , and insulin sensitivity were also examined . Twenty-two participants ( 10M/12F ; 31.7 ± 1.3 year old BMI 30.4 ± 0.5 kg/m2 ) completed all conditions . No between-condition effects were observed in sitting-time and sit/st and transitions . Both interventions increased daily steps , MVPA and energy expenditure with increases being greater in ONE than MICRO . Feelings of vigor and fasting insulin sensitivity were also improved . Participants reported less fatigue with MICRO than SED and ONE . Both interventions increase physical activity and energy expenditure in occupational and leisure-time context s. The sustainability of these effects over the long term and on health outcomes will need to be tested in future studies Background The office workplace is a key setting in which to address excessive sitting time and inadequate physical activity . One major influence on workplace sitting is the organizational environment . However , the impact of organizational-level strategies on individual level activity change is unknown . Further , the emergence of sophisticated , consumer-targeted wearable activity trackers that facilitate real-time self-monitoring of activity , may be a useful adjunct to support organizational-level strategies , but to date have received little evaluation in this workplace setting . Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility , acceptability , and effectiveness of organizational-level strategies with or without an activity tracker on sitting , st and ing , and stepping in office workers in the short ( 3 months , primary aim ) and long-term ( 12 months , secondary aim ) . Methods This study is a pilot , cluster-r and omized trial ( with work teams as the unit of clustering ) of two interventions in office workers : organizational-level support strategies ( eg , visible management support , emails ) or organizational-level strategies plus the use of a waist-worn activity tracker ( the LUMOback ) that enables self-monitoring of sitting , st and ing , and stepping time and enables users to set sitting and posture alerts . The key intervention message is to ‘ St and Up , Sit Less , and Move More . ’ Intervention elements will be implemented from within the organization by the Head of Workplace Wellbeing . Participants will be recruited via email and enrolled face-to-face . Assessment s will occur at baseline , 3 , and 12 months . Time spent sitting , sitting in prolonged ( ≥30 minute ) bouts , st and ing , and stepping during work hours and across the day will be measured with activPAL3 activity monitors ( 7 days , 24 hours/day protocol ) , with total sitting time and sitting time during work hours the primary outcomes . Web-based question naires , LUMOback recorded data , telephone interviews , and focus groups will measure the feasibility and acceptability of both interventions and potential predictors of behavior change . Results Baseline and follow-up data collection has finished . Results are expected in 2016 . Conclusions This pilot , cluster-r and omized trial will evaluate the feasibility , acceptability , and effectiveness of two interventions targeting reductions in sitting and increases in st and ing and stepping in office workers . Few studies have evaluated these intervention strategies and this study has the potential to contribute both short and long-term findings INTRODUCTION Accelerometers are used increasingly in large epidemiologic studies , but , given logistic and cost constraints , most studies are restricted to a single , 7-day accelerometer monitoring period . It is unknown how well a 7-day accelerometer monitoring period estimates longer-term patterns of behavior , which is critical for interpreting , and potentially improving , disease risk estimates in etiologic studies . METHODS A subset of participants from the Women 's Health Study ( N=209 ; mean age , 70.6 [ SD=5.7 ] years ) completed at least two 7-day accelerometer administrations ( ActiGraph GT3X+ ) within a period of 2 - 3 years . Monitor output was translated into total counts , steps , and time spent in sedentary , light-intensity , and moderate to vigorous-intensity activity ( MVPA ) and bouted-MVPA ( i.e. , 10-minute bouts ) . For each metric , intraclass correlations ( ICCs ) and 95 % CIs were calculated using linear-mixed models and adjusted for wear time , age , BMI , and season . The data were collected in 2011 - 2015 and analyzed in 2015 - 2016 . RESULTS The ICCs ranged from 0.67 ( 95 % CI=0.60 , 0.73 ) for bouted-MVPA to 0.82 ( 95 % CI=0.77 , 0.85 ) for total daily counts and were similar across age , BMI , and for less and more active women . For all metrics , classification accuracy within 1 quartile was > 90 % . CONCLUSIONS These data provide reassurance that a 7-day accelerometer- assessment protocol provides a reproducible ( and practical ) measure of physical activity and sedentary time . However , ICCs varied by metric ; therefore , future prospect i ve studies of chronic diseases might benefit from existing methods to adjust risk estimates for within-person variability in activity to get a better estimate of the true strength of association
Interventions integrating physical activity into organizational routine during everyday life have demonstrated modest but consistent benefits , particularly for physical activity , and these are promising avenues of investigation .
The proportionately longer-term outcomes available in these studies compared with individual-level studies suggest that physical activity promotion strategies at the organizational level may be more sustainable
CONTEXT Recommended daily physical activity accumulated in short intervals ( e.g. , < 10 minutes ) may be more feasible and appealing to the relatively sedentary populace than longer bouts .
The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of the evidence for the effectiveness of short activity bouts incorporated into organizational routine as part of the regular " conduct of business . "