Comparative Effects Of Mentally Active Vs. Passive Prolonged Sitting On Cardiovascular Measures In Female Adolescents

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause to death worldwide. Females, specifically at young ages, have shown blunted CVD improvements over the past decades. Sedentary behavior such as prolonged sitting is prevalent among females and has emerged as a significant risk factor for CVD. Recent research suggests that the negative impacts of prolonged sitting on several health measures depend on whether it involves high vs. low cognitive activity (i.e., mentally active vs. passive prolonged sitting, respectively). PURPOSE: To examine effects of mentally active vs. passive prolonged sitting on cardiovascular measures in female adolescents. METHODS: Nineteen participants (12-to-17 years old) completed two sessions in a random order: (1) two hours of mentally active prolonged sitting (i.e., videogaming); (2) two hours of mentally passive prolonged sitting (i.e., documentary viewing). Seated oscillometric systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure (PP) were measured at baseline, one hour, and two hour of sitting during both sessions. Systolic (SBPv) and diastolic (DBPv) blood pressure variability and estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) were mathematically calculated. Generalized linear mixed models with random effects examined the effects of conditions on these cardiovascular measures while adjusting for baselines values. Cohen's d examined the strength of the effects. RESULTS: SBP (β = 0.22), DBP (β = -0.56), MAP (β = -0.62), PP (β = 1.30), SBPv (β = 0.35), DBPv (β = 0.77), and ePWV (β = 0.02) were not statistically different between mentally active vs. passive prolonged sitting sessions (p > 0.05 for all; effect sizes [d] ranged from 0.02 to 0.18). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the negative impacts of prolonged sitting on cardiovascular health do not appear to be dependent on the involvement of cognitive process while preforming the prolonged sitting. Female adolescents should minimize time spent in prolonged sitting, regardless of cognitive activity level.