About us

Sedentary behaviour – too much sitting as distinct from too little physical activity – is now recognised as an independent risk factor for cardiometabolic disease risk and premature mortality. This is problematic as technological advancements in transportation, communications, workplaces, and domestic entertainment has created environments that encourage engagement in sedentary behaviour.

The Physiology of Sedentary Behaviour Special Interest Group investigates the relationship between sedentary behaviour patterns and cardiometabolic disease risk and the benefits of interrupting prolonged sedentary time in various population groups including office workers, school children, spinal cord injury, and Type 2 diabetes. The aim of this research is to influence public health policy and clinical care guidelines with an emphasis on reducing prolonged sedentary behaviour.

Staff Members

• Dr Laura Charalambous
• Professor Angel Chater
• Dr Louise Ferrandino
• Dr Julia Fruer
• Dr Rebecca Jones
• Dr Jo Richards
• Dr Lindsey Smith

PhD Students

• Kamalesh Dey Impact of breaking up sitting time on postprandial cardiometablic disease risk markers in South Asians living in the United Kingdom
• Abbie Bell Reducing sedentary behaviour for secondary prevention of heart disease.
• Opie Charlotte Sedentary behaviour and cardiometabolic risk in older adults.

Recent grants

• Ergotron, ergonomic research donation. (2018). £12,400. Daniel Bailey, Samson Ojo, Angel Chater, David Hewson ‘What is the Effect of Interrupting Sitting in the Workplace on Cardiometabolic Risk and Worker Productivity?’
• Heart Research UK Translational Research Project Grant. £86,434. Bailey, D., Croft, L. & Tolfrey, V. (2016). The benefits of breaking up prolonged sedentary time on cardiovascular disease risk markers in people with spinal cord injury. 20 month grant.

Recent papers

• Maylor BD, Zakrzewski-Fruer JK, Stensel DJ, Orton CJ, Bailey DP. (2019). Effects of Frequency and Duration of Interrupting Sitting on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers. Int J Sports Med,40(13):818-824.
• Bailey DP, Orton CJ, Maylor BD, Zakrzewski-Fruer JK. (2019).Cardiometabolic Response to a single high-intensity interval exercise session versus breaking up sedentary time with fragmented high-intensity interval exercise. Int J Sports Med, 40(3):165-170.
• Maylor BD, Edwardson CL, Zakrzewski-Fruer JK, Champion RB, Bailey DP. (2018). Efficacy of a multi-component intervention to reduce workplace sitting time in office workers: a cluster randomized controlled trial. J Occup Environ Med, 60(9):787-795.
• Withers TM, Croft L, Goosey-Tolfrey VL, Dunstan DW, Leicht CA, and Bailey DP (2018). Cardiovascular disease risk marker responses to breaking up prolonged sedentary time in individuals with paraplegia: the Spinal Cord Injury Move More (SCIMM) randomised crossover laboratory trial protocol. BMJ Open, 8(6). DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021936.
• Maylor BD, Zakrzewski-Fruer JK, Orton CJ, and Bailey DP (2018). Beneficial postprandial lipaemic effects of interrupting sedentary time with high-intensity physical activity versus a continuous moderate-intensity physical activity bout: a randomised crossover trial. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2018.05.022.
• Champion RB, Smith LR, Smith S,Hirlav B, Maylor BD, White SL, Bailey DP (online 2018). Reducing prolonged sedentary time using a treadmill desk acutely improves cardiometabolic risk markers in male and female adults. Journal of Sports Sciences, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2018.1464744
• Ojo S, Bailey D, Chater A, and Hewson D (2018). The impact of active workstations on workplace productivity and performance: a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(3); 417. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15030417.
• Bailey DP, Maylor BD, Orton CJ, and Zakrzewski-Fruer JK (2017). Effects of breaking up prolonged sitting following low and high glycaemic index breakfast consumption on glucose and insulin concentrations. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 117(7): 1299-1307. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-017-3610-4.

Recent conference presentations

• Bailey D, Dong F, Mugridge L, and Chater A (2018). A mobile phone app for reducing prolonged sedentary behaviour in Type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled feasibility study. British Association for Sport and Exercise Sciences 2018.
• Bailey D, Maylor B, Orton C, and Zakrzewski-Fruer J (2017). Cardiometabolic responses to interrupting prolonged sitting with high-intensity physical activity versus a continuous moderate-intensity physical activity bout. British Association for Sport and Exercise Sciences2017. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35 (Suppl. 1).
• Charalambous L, Champion R, Smith L, McGirl C, and Bailey D (2017). The effect of prolonged sitting versus use of a treadmill desk on postural stability. International Society of Biomechanics in Sports Proceedings Archive, 35(1), Article 100. Available at: commons.nmu.edu/isbs/vol35/iss1/100
• Champion RB, Smith LR, Smith J, Cockerill CN, Hirlav B, Oreska L, White SL, and Bailey DP (2017). Interrupting prolonged sitting with treadmill desk walking reduces postprandial glucose concentrations in sedentary adults. British Association for Sport and Exercise Sciences Student Conference, Plymouth, UK.
• Maylor B, Zakrzewski-Fruer J, Orton C, and Bailey D (2016). Acute effect of breakfast glycaemic index and breaking up prolonged sitting on postprandial glucose and insulin in adult males. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34 (Suppl. 1), p. S3-4.