The Effects of Sedentary Time on Arterial Stiffness : An Exploratory Analysis Among Young Adult Men Meeting WHO Physical Activity Guidelines

This study examined whether varying sedentary time is associated with arterial stiffness in young men meeting the World Health Organization physical activity guidelines. Forty healthy university students aged 20–29 years who reported ≥600 MET-min/week of total activity were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and categorized by daily sedentary time: <6 h/day (n=15), 6–<9 h/day (n=18), and ≥9 h/day (n=7). Brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) and ankle–brachial index (ABI) were measured noninvasively after standardized rest, and group differences were tested by one-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc comparisons. Although age, anthropometrics, blood pressure, and physical activity did not differ among groups, right ba-PWV was higher in the 6–<9 h and ≥9 h groups than in the <6 h group, and left ba-PWV was higher in the ≥9 h group. ABI remained normal across all groups. These findings indicate that greater sedentary time is linked to increased arterial stiffness even in physically active young men, emphasizing the need to reduce sedentary behavior alongside regular exercise.