Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29479645›Full record

Trial reportOsteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA2018

Association of sitting time and breaks in sitting with muscle mass, strength, function, and inflammation in community-dwelling older adults.

N Reid, G N Healy, J Gianoudis, M Formica, P A Gardiner, E E Eakin, C A Nowson, R M Daly

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
42citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
4.2field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

42 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 95 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Pain and its association with device-measured activity patterns in older adults: age and sex differences in a population-based cross-sectional study.European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
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  9. Sedentary Behavior Affects the Ratings of Workplace Physical Activity Sessions.Journal of healthcare, science and the humanities · 2025
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  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Daily physical activity in older adults across levels of care: the HUNT Trondheim 70 + study.European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity · 2024
    Article
  15. Article
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  18. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

N ReidSchool of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland, 4006, Australia. n.reid@uq.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8528-9741
G N HealySchool of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland, 4006, Australia.
J GianoudisInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
M FormicaInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
P A GardinerCentre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
E E EakinSchool of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland, 4006, Australia.
C A NowsonInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
R M DalyInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Deakin University · AUThe University of Queensland · AUBaker Heart and Diabetes Institute · AUQueensland Health · AU

Funding

Australian Federal Government Australian Postgraduate AwardMeat and Livestock Australia D.MHN.0303National Health and Medical Research Council 1057608National Health and Medical Research Council 108029National Health and Medical Research Council 110331National Health and Medical Research Council 511001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The mechanisms through which excessive sitting time impacts health are important to understand. This study found that each hour of sitting per day was not associated with physical function, although associations with poor body composition were observed. Reducing sitting time for improved weight management in older adults needs further exploration.

introductionTo examine the association of sitting time and breaks in sitting time with muscle mass, strength, function, and inflammation in older Australians.

methodsData from the thigh-worn activPAL3™ monitor (7-day continuous wear) was used to derive time spent sitting (hours) and total number of sit-stand transitions per day. Body composition (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), lower-body muscle strength, function (timed up-and-go [TUG], 4-m gait speed, four square step test, 30-second sit-to-stand), and serum inflammatory markers (interleukin-[IL-6], IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], and adiponectin) were measured. Multiple regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, education, employment status, marital status, number of prescription medications, smoking status, vitamin D, and stepping time, were used to assess the associations.

resultsData from 123 community-dwelling older adults (aged 65-84 years, 63% female) were used. Total daily sitting time was associated with lower percentage lean mass (β [95%CI], - 1.70% [- 2.30, - 1.10]) and higher total body fat mass (2.92 kg [1.94, 3.30]). More frequent breaks in sitting time were associated with a 45% reduced risk of having pre-sarcopenia (OR = 0.55; 95% CI 0.34, 0.91; model 1), defined as appendicular lean mass divided by BMI. No significant associations were observed for sitting time or breaks in sitting with measures of muscle strength, function, or inflammation.

conclusionIn older community-dwelling adults, greater sitting time was associated with a lower percentage lean mass, while more frequent breaks in sitting time were associated with lower odds of having pre-sarcopenia. This suggests that reducing sedentary time and introducing frequent breaks in sedentary time may be beneficial for improving body composition in healthy older adults.

Indexed as

Sedentary BehaviorSitting PositionAgedAged, 80 and overBody CompositionCross-Sectional StudiesExerciseFemaleHumansIndependent LivingInflammationInflammation MediatorsMaleMuscle, SkeletalMuscle StrengthOrgan SizeInflammation MediatorsBody compositionInflammationObjective measuresPre-sarcopeniaSedentary behavior

Identifiers

PMID29479645
OpenAlexW2791769457

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.