NOTE, original article title: Sedentary time has a stronger impact on metabolic health than moderate to vigorous physical activity in adolescents with obesity: A cross-sectional analysis of the Beta-JUDO study

In this study, lower sedentary time was found to be linked with a better metabolic health independently of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and might represent a first step in the management of pediatric obesity when increasing MVPA is not possible.

• In this study of 134 participants (mean age 13.4 ± 2.2 yrs, mean body mass index [BMI] 98.9 ± 0.7 percentile, 48.5% females), researchers compared profiles of sedentary time (more sedentary, SED+ vs less sedentary, SED−), MVPA time (more active, MVPA+ vs less active, MVPA−) and combinations of behaviors (SED−/MVPA+, SED−/MVPA−, SED+/MVPA+, SED+/MVPA−) in regard to metabolic health.

• Better metabolic health was seen in SED− vs SED+ group and in MVPA+ vs MVPA− group post-adjustment with age, gender, maturation and BMI.

• The best metabolic health was evident in the SED−/MVPA+ group.

• In SED−/MVPA−, lower sedentary and MVPA times were noted than in the SED+/MVPA+, but SED−/MVPA− was found to have lower fat mass percentage, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and metabolic syndrome risk score (MetScore) and higher high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), independently of BMI.

• A positive correlation of sedentary time with HOMA-IR and Metscore and a negative correlation with HDL-c was found post-adjustment with MVPA.

• There was a negative correlation of MVPA with HOMA-IR, blood pressure and MetScore and a positive correlation with HDL-c post-adjustment with sedentary time.