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"Prolonged sitting" increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, possibly due to preceding impairments in cutaneous vascular function. In this study, researchers from the University of Tsukuba demonstrated that prolonged sitting decreases forearm cutaneous vasodilation function, and alternating ambient temperatures do not influence this vascular impairment.

Tsukuba, Japan—In Japan, people spend approximately 7 h sitting per day, which is the longest sitting time in the world. This sedentary behavior (i.e., repeated bouts of prolonged sitting) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recently, a research group has reported that prolonged sitting under constant skin temperature conditions can impair cutaneous vasodilation function, and repeated local heating and cooling can mitigate this impairment.

In this study, researchers investigated the effects of prolonged sitting on forearm cutaneous vascular function under two conditions simulating real-life environments: Constant room temperature and alternating cooling and heating ambient temperatures. A total of 12 young adults (six women) were included in this study. The participants sat for 120 min under the alternating temperature condition, during which they were exposed to 18°C followed by 35°C, with this sequence repeated twice. On a separate day, they were exposed to a thermoneutral ambient temperature of 25°C for 120 min under the constant temperature condition. Cutaneous vascular function was assessed and compared between the two conditions.

The results showed that prolonged sitting decreased cutaneous vasodilation function but enhanced vasoconstrictor responsiveness. Alternating exposure to cooling and heating did not significantly suppress these changes in cutaneous vascular function.

These findings indicate that temperature stimulation of the surrounding environment cannot prevent the vascular dysfunction caused by prolonged sitting. Therefore, developing more effective interventions, including those that elicit greater local skin temperature fluctuations, is crucial.

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The present study was funded by Fujitsu General Co., Ltd.

Original Paper

Title of original paper:

Sustained sitting attenuates cutaneous reactive hyperemia while improving venoarteriolar reflex, and alternating ambient exposure to cool and heat does not modulate these responses

Journal:

European Journal of Applied Physiology

DOI:

10.1007/s00421-025-05870-7

Correspondence

Associate Professor FUJII Naoto
Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba

Dr. TAGAWA Kaname
Researcher, Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba
(Current position: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Humanities, Department of International Cultural Studies, Miyazaki Municipal University)

Related Link

Institute of Health and Sport Sciences