Abstract
The use of standing desks to increase physical activity and, thus, decrease sedentary behavior has been examined. Although standing desks are beneficial for energy expenditure and postprandial glucose metabolism, their effects on postprandial fat oxidation remain unclear. Therefore, the present study investigated differences in lipid metabolism between sitting to standing after a meal in university students (age, 21.6 ± 0.91 years; height, 173.4 ± 5.7 cm; weight, 67.1 ± 8.6 kg; BMI, 22.2 ± 1.6 kg / m2). Ten healthy men were enrolled as participants. They maintained a standing or sitting position for 120 min after a meal. Energy expenditure, fat oxidation, and carbohydrate oxidation were calculated from V̇O2 and V̇CO2. Exogenous fat metabolic rate was assessed using a stable isotope of carbon. Each measurement was performed 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after the meal. Significant increases were observed from the sitting to standing position in energy expenditure, but not in carbohydrate oxidation or exogenous fat metabolic rate. We demonstrated that fat oxidation after a meal was significantly higher in the standing position than in the sitting position, whereas exogenous fat metabolic rate did not significantly differ. Therefore, the predominant energy substrate appeared to be endogenous lipids. In addition, fat oxidation in the standing position peaked 30 min after the meal. The present study suggested to university students that continued standing until 30 min after a meal may prevent deteriorated lipid metabolism.
