Extension of sedentary time associated with distraction in overweight and obese adults

Scientists use accelerometers to track daily activity levels of 89 obese or overweight adults during the week and maintain multitasking and attention in a series of tests despite distraction. I measured my ability. Studies have shown that individuals who spend more seizure time with seizures lasting more than 20 minutes could not overcome the distraction.

Reported in International Journal of ObesityThe study adds evidence linking sedentary behavior and cognition, said Dominika Pindas, a professor of kinematics and community health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, led the study in this treatise.

“Several studies have investigated the relationship between different types of sedentary behaviors, such as watching TV and cognitive function in children and adults,” Pindos said. “The relationships they observed depended on the type of sedentary behavior. These studies primarily measured leisure sedentary behavior.”

According to Pindos, the study found that regular long-term sitting was associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular disease. People who sit for more than 8 hours without moderate to intense physical activity for more than 60 minutes a day are at increased health risk. Other studies suggest that prolonged sitting for more than 20 minutes adversely affects postprandial blood glucose levels.

“But few studies have investigated the relationship between sedentary time prolongation and cognitive function,” Pindos said. To address this gap in the study, she and her colleagues focused on the association between objectively measured prolongation of sedentary time and cognition in obese or overweight adults aged 25-45. I guessed it.

“Previous studies have shown that obese and overweight people do not perform certain types of cognitive tasks well,” Pindos said. “These tasks involve executive function, the cognitive function that is important for reasoning goals and staying focused.”

Some studies have shown that long-term physical activity interventions in prepubertal children and the elderly can improve these functions.

“But there isn’t much data on how longer sedentary hours are associated with executive functioning in obese and overweight working-age people,” she said. “If we can show how sedentary time and physical activity in daily life relate to executive functioning of those individuals, we can offer more targeted lifestyle interventions to improve cognition in this group. You may be able to design it. “

The researchers collected baseline information from all participants, tested their cognitive abilities, and calculated each person’s obesity index and body fat percentage. Participants wore accelerometers on their hips during the 7-day wake-up time. They also completed measurements of cognitive tasks and brain function in a laboratory setting.

“We use EEG records to generate in the brain while engaging in tasks where participants try to focus, ignore distractions, and flexibly switch attention between tasks. I measured the potential, “Pindos said. A controller connected to the computer allowed participants to respond to the problem while recording the speed and accuracy of the response.

According to Pindos, a statistical analysis of participants’ sedentary tendencies regarding the speed and accuracy of participants in the task of measuring distraction found a relationship between the two.

“Our important finding was that people who spend more time on long seizures tend to be distracted,” she said.

Further research is needed to determine how a person’s sedentary time structure affects cognition, according to Pindos.

“If you make sure you divide your sitting time with short bouts of physical activity, can it reduce how distracting you are?” She said. “If so, what is driving this effect? ​​This is what we want to explore.”