An interventional study of SIT regimen and SITless regimen in Cardiovascular Risk Factor, Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes, sponsored by University of Bedfordshire. Completed at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-24.
Sponsored by University of Bedfordshire · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of substituting sitting under free-living conditions in South Asian adults with overweight and obesity on continuous glucose profiles.
Anthropometric measurement tools, including a stadiometer, a measurement tape and a digital weighing scale, an activity monitor and a Flash Glucose Monitor and sensor, were posted to the participants' home or workplace or the research team dropped all these items at participants' doorstep to allow participants to take their measures including height, weight, and waist circumference.
Participants performed a try-out day of the SITless regimen after preliminary testing and before the first experimental regimen. Participants were only eligible for inclusion if they were able to adhere to the experimental protocol (i.e., substitute a minimum of 5-h/day sitting with ≥2-h of self-perceived light walking and ≥3-h of standing), assessed via monitoring with an activPAL. Participants were provided with a second attempt if required.
After the try-out day, participants were set up with the FGM and activPAL, which were both worn throughout the experimental period. Setup was completed 24-h before the commencement of the first experimental regimen and subsequently worn for 11 days (i.e., 2* 4-day regimens and 3 days washout). Regimen 1 (SIT or SITless) took place over 4 days (day 1-4: Monday to Thursday), followed by a 3-day washout period (day 5-7: Friday to Sunday), followed by regimen 2 (SIT or SITless) for 4 days (day 8-11: Monday to Thursday). Participants were informed of the order of their experimental regimens and provided verbal and written guidance on how to complete the protocols. The experimental regimens were as follows:
Participants were asked to refrain from food and drink containing alcohol for 24-h before and to avoid performing structured exercise for 48-h before the experimental protocol commenced and throughout the entire experimental period (a total of 11-days). A kitchen scale was provided so participants could weigh and record all food and beverage consumption in a diary during the first 4-day regimen and replicate this dietary intake exactly during the second 4-day regimen. Participants were instructed to consume a standardised diet (at least 50% carbohydrate) in order to reduce dietary heterogeneity within the study population. Participants were advised that the meals were spaced evenly throughout the day with 3 to 4-h intervals, with snacks consumed between meals to ensure three distinct and consistent glucose responses across each day.
Exclusion Criteria:
Firstly, participants performed the SIT regimen (4 days) where they were instructed to restrict walking to ≤1 h/day and standing to ≤1 h/day during their waking day. Participants were allowed to perform their daily activities, including cooking and other household activities, within the 2-h of permitted walking and standing. After a washout period of 3 days, they then performed the SITless regimen (4 days). SIT regimen: See SIT regimen arm description SITless regimen: See SITless regimen arm description
Other: SIT regimen
Firstly, participants performed the SITLess regimen (4 days) where they were instructed to substitute a minimum of 5-h/day sitting with ≥3-h of standing and ≥2-h of self-perceived LPA in addition to interrupting their sitting for 2-5-min every 30-min. A list of activities (including walking at a slow pace, walking on the spot, jumping up and down, and standing) was provided as examples of activities that particpants could perform during this regimen. After a washout period of 3 days, they then performed the SIT regimen (4 days). SITless regimen: See SITless regimen arm description SIT regimen: See SIT regimen arm description
Other: SITless regimen
See SIT regimen arm description
See SITless regimen arm description
Glycaemia
Net incremental area under the curve (iAUC), calculated by subtracting waking glucose concentration for each day from the total AUC. Waking hours were identified individually for each participant from activPAL data and then normalised to a 16 h day. Each of these variables was calculated as the mean of valid days within each regimen. A minimum of one valid day that coincided with both FGM and activPAL data was required in each experimental regimen for inclusion in the analysis.
Time frame: Mean net incremental area under the curve for waking hours (16 h) interstitial glucose concentration per day for 4 valid days during each intervention
Sitting Time
Total sitting time was measured 24 h/day during each activity regimen using an activPAL3 activity monitor. ActivPAL3 data were processed using ProcessingPAL software. After an automated estimate of valid data using the valid wear criteria, ProcessingPAL summary outputs variables were produced in a Microsoft Excel sheet. A minimum of one valid day that coincided with both FGM and activPAL data was required in each experimental regimen for inclusion in the analysis.
Time frame: Mean total sitting time per day for 4 valid days during each intervention
Standing Time
Physical activity patterns was measured 24 h/day during each activity regimen using an activPAL3 activity monitor. ActivPAL3 data was processed using ProcessingPAL software. After an automated estimate of valid data using the valid wear criteria, ProcessingPAL summary outputs variables were produced in a Microsoft Excel sheet. A minimum of one valid day that coincided with both FGM and activPAL data was required in each experimental regimen for inclusion in the analysis.
Time frame: Mean standing time per day for 4 valid days during each intervention
Total Stepping Time
Physical activity patterns were measured 24 h/day during each activity regimen using an activPAL3 activity monitor. ActivPAL3 data were processed using ProcessingPAL software. After an automated estimate of valid data using the valid wear criteria, ProcessingPAL summary outputs variables were produced in a Microsoft Excel sheet. A minimum of one valid day that coincided with both FGM and activPAL data was required in each experimental regimen for inclusion in the analysis.
Time frame: Mean total stepping time per day for 4 valid days during each intervention
A total of 18 Overweight/obese South Asians (BMI\>23.0 kg/m\^2) aged between 18 and 75 years and able to walk were recruited; data collection was performed between November 2020 and July 2021.
| Milestone | SIT Regimen, Then SITless Regimen | SITless Regimen, Then SIT Regimen |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 9 | 9 |
| Completed | 9 | 9 |
| Not completed | 0 | 0 |
| Milestone | SIT Regimen, Then SITless Regimen | SITless Regimen, Then SIT Regimen |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 9 | 9 |
| Completed | 9 | 9 |
| Not completed | 0 | 0 |
| Milestone | SIT Regimen, Then SITless Regimen | SITless Regimen, Then SIT Regimen |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 9 | 9 |
| Completed | 7 | 7 |
| Not completed | 2 | 2 |
| Withdrew: Testing positive for covid-19 | 2 | 2 |
Net incremental area under the curve (iAUC), calculated by subtracting waking glucose concentration for each day from the total AUC. Waking hours were identified individually for each participant from activPAL data and then normalised to a 16 h day. Each of these variables was calculated as the mean of valid days within each regimen. A minimum of one valid day that coincided with both FGM and activPAL data was required in each experimental regimen for inclusion in the analysis.
| mmol/L.16 h | SIT Regimen | SITless Regimen |
|---|---|---|
| Glycaemia | 98.5 (82.7 to 114.4) | 89.4 (73.5 to 105.2) |
Total sitting time was measured 24 h/day during each activity regimen using an activPAL3 activity monitor. ActivPAL3 data were processed using ProcessingPAL software. After an automated estimate of valid data using the valid wear criteria, ProcessingPAL summary outputs variables were produced in a Microsoft Excel sheet. A minimum of one valid day that coincided with both FGM and activPAL data was required in each experimental regimen for inclusion in the analysis.
| h/day | SIT Regimen | SITless Regimen |
|---|---|---|
| Sitting Time | 10.6 (9.5 to 11.7) | 7.0 (5.9 to 8.1) |
Physical activity patterns was measured 24 h/day during each activity regimen using an activPAL3 activity monitor. ActivPAL3 data was processed using ProcessingPAL software. After an automated estimate of valid data using the valid wear criteria, ProcessingPAL summary outputs variables were produced in a Microsoft Excel sheet. A minimum of one valid day that coincided with both FGM and activPAL data was required in each experimental regimen for inclusion in the analysis.
| h/day | SIT Regimen | SITless Regimen |
|---|---|---|
| Standing Time | 3.8 (2.8 to 4.8) | 5.7 (4.8 to 6.7) |
Physical activity patterns were measured 24 h/day during each activity regimen using an activPAL3 activity monitor. ActivPAL3 data were processed using ProcessingPAL software. After an automated estimate of valid data using the valid wear criteria, ProcessingPAL summary outputs variables were produced in a Microsoft Excel sheet. A minimum of one valid day that coincided with both FGM and activPAL data was required in each experimental regimen for inclusion in the analysis.
| h/day | SIT Regimen | SITless Regimen |
|---|---|---|
| Total Stepping Time | 1.2 (0.8 to 1.5) | 2.8 (2.4 to 3.1) |
Collected over Adverse event data were collected during the data collection period for each participant, which was 11 days.. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIT Regimen | 0/18 (0%) | 0/18 (0%) | 0/18 (0%) |
| SITless Regimen | 0/18 (0%) | 0/18 (0%) | 0/18 (0%) |
18 Overweight/obese South Asians
| Age, Continuous(years) | All Study Participants |
|---|---|
| Mean | 42.1 ± 12.0 |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | All Study Participants |
|---|---|
| Female | 10 |
| Male | 8 |
| Race/Ethnicity, Customized(Participants) | All Study Participants |
|---|---|
| South Asian sub-group — Bangladeshi | 6 |
| South Asian sub-group — Indian | 7 |
| South Asian sub-group — Pakistani | 5 |
| Region of Enrollment(participants) | All Study Participants |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 18 |
| Body mass index (BMI)(kg/m^2) | All Study Participants |
|---|---|
| Mean | 27.5 ± 3.8 |
| Waist circumference (WC)(cm) | All Study Participants |
|---|---|
| Mean | 94.9 ± 10.9 |
Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.
Plan to share: No
This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
University of Bedfordshire