Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sedentary lifestyle and risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes

  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

Obesity and type 2 diabetes have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. It is well-established that increasing physical activity plays an important role in reducing rick of obesity and diabetes. Few studies, however, have examined the association between sedentary behaviors such as prolonged television (TV) watching and obesity and diabetes. Using data from a large prospective cohort study, the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study, we have demonstrated that increasing TV watching is strongly associated with obesity and weight gain, independent of diet and exercise. Also, prolonged TV watching is associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Men who watched TV more than 40 h per week had a nearly threefold increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those who spent less than 1 h per week watching TV. The increased risk was not entirely explained by the decreased physical activity and unhealthy eating patterns associated with TV watching. Thus, public health campaigns to reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes should promote not only increasing exercise levels but also decreasing sedentary behaviors, especially prolonged TV watching.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

BMI:

body mass index

CI:

confidence interval

DPP:

Diabetes Prevention Project

GI:

glycemic index

HPFS:

Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study

IGT:

impaired glucose tolerance

MET-h:

metabolic equivalent-hours

RR:

relative risk

TV:

television

VCR:

videocassette recordings

References

  1. Mokdad, A.H., Bowman, B.A., Ford, E.S., Vinicor, F., Marks, J.S., and Koplan, J.P. (2001) The Continuing Epidemics of Obesity and Diabetes in the United States, JAMA 286, 1195–2000

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Reaven, G. (1988) Role of Insulin Resistance in Human Disease, Diabetes 37, 1595–1607.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Willett, W.C., Dietz, W.H., and Colditz, G.A. (1999) Guidelines for Healthy Weight, N. Engl. J. Med. 341, 427–434 (see comments).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Helmrich, S.P., Ragland, D.R., Leung, R.W., and Paffenbarger, R.S. Jr. (1991) Physical Activity and Reduced Occurrence of Non-insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, N. Engl. J. Med. 325, 147–152.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Manson, J.E., Nathan, D.M., Krolewski, A.S., Stampfer, M.J., Wilett, W.C., and Hennekens, C.H. (1992) A Prospective Study of Exercise and Incidence of Diabetes Among U.S. Male Physicians, JAMA, 268, 63–67.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Burchfiel, C.M., Sharp, D.S., Curb, J.D., Rodriguez, B.L., Hwang, L.J., Marcus, E.B., and Yano, K. (1995) Physical Activity and Incidence of Diabetes: The Honolulu Heart Program, Am. J. Epidemiol. 141, 360–368.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Perry, I.J., Wannamethee, S.G., Walker, M.K., Thomson, A.G., Whincup, P.H., and Shaper, A.G. (1995) Prospective Study of Risk Factors for Development of Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes in Middle-Aged British Men, Br. Med. J. 310, 560–564.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Gurwitz, J.H., Field, T.S., Glynn, R.J., Manson, J.E., Avorn, J., Taylor, J.O., and Hennekens, C.H. (1994) Risk Factors for Non-insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Requiring Treatment in the Elderly, J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 42, 1235–1240.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Scharanz, A., Tuomilehto, J., Marti, B., Jarrett, R.J., Grabauskas, V., and Vassallo, A. (1991) Low Physical Activity and Worsening of Glucose Tolerance: Results from a 2-Year Follow-up of a Population Sample in Malta, Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 11, 127–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Lynch, J., Helmrich, S.P., Kakha, T.A., Kaplan, G.A., Cohen, R.D., Salonen, R., and Salonen, J.T. (1996) Moderately Intense Physical Activities and High Levels of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Reduce Risk of Non-insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus in Middle-Aged Men, Arch. Intern. Med. 156, 1307–1314.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hu, F.B., Sigal, R.J., Rich-Edwards, J.W., Colditz, G.A., Solomon, C.G., Willett, W.C., Speizer, F.E., and Manson, J.E. (1999) Walking Compared with Vigorous Physical Activity and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Women: A Prospective Study, JAMA 282, 1433–1439.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Nielsen Media Research (1998) Nielsen Report on Television, Nielsen Media Research, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ainsworth, B.E., Haksell, W.L., Leon, A.S., Jacobs, D.R., Montoye, H.J., Sallis, J.F., and Paffenbarger, R.S., Jr. (1993) Compendium on Physical Activities: Classification of Energy Costs of Human Physical Activities, Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 25, 71–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gortmaker, S.L., Must, A., Sobol, A.M., Peterson, K., Colditz, G.A., and Dietz, M.H. (1996) Television Viewing as a Cause of Increasing Obesity Among Children in the United States, 1986–1990, Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 150, 356–362.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Andersen, R.E., Crespo, C.J., Barlett, S.J., Cheskin, L.C., and Pratt, M. (1998) Relationship of Physical Activity and Television Watching with Body Weight and Level of Fatness Among Children, JAMA 279, 938–942.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Tucker, L.A., and Friedman, G.M. (1989) Television Viewing and Obesity in Adult Males, Am. J. Public Health 79, 516–518.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Tucker, L.A., and Bagwell, M. (1991) Television Viewing and Obesity in Adult Females, Am. J. Public Health 81, 908–911.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ching, P.L.Y.H., Willett, W.C., Rimm, E.B., Colditz, G.A., Gortmaker, S.L., and Stampfer, M.J. (1996) Activity Level and Risk of Overweight in Male Health Professionals, Am. J. Public Health 86, 25–30.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Coakley, E.H., Rimm, E.B., Colditz, G., Kawachi, I., and Willett, W. (1998) Predictors of Weight Change in Men: Results from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, Int. J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Disord. 22, 89–96.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Fung, T.T., Hu, F.B., Yu, J., Chu, N.F., Spiegelman, D., Tofler, G.H., Willett, W.C., and Rimm, E.B. (2000) Leisure-Time Physical Activity, Television Watching, and Plasma Biomarkers of Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease Risk, Am. J. Epidemiol. 152, 1171–1178.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hu, F.B., Leitzmann, M.F., Stampfer, M.J., Colditz, G.A., Willett, W.C., and Rimm, E.B. (2001) Physical Activity and Television Watching in Relation to Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Men, Arch. Intern. Med. 161, 1542–1548.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Falciglia, G.A., and Gussow, J.D. (1980) Television Commercials and Eating Behavior of Obese and Normal-Weight Women, J. Nutr. Educ. 12, 196–199.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Gorn, G.J., and Goldberg, M.E. (1982) Behavioral Evidence of the Effects of Televised Food Messages on Children, J. Consumer Res. 9, 200–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. van Dam, R.M., Rimm, E.B., Willett, W.C., Stampfer, M.J., and Hu, F.B. (2002) Dietary Patterns and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in U.S. Men, Ann. Intern. Med. 136, 201–209.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. van Dam, R.M., Willett, W.C., Rimm, E.B., Stampfer, M.J., and Hu, FB. (2002) Dietary Fat and Meat Intake in Relation to Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Men, Diabetes Care 25, 417–424.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Pan, X.-R., Li, G.-W., Wang, J.-X., Yang, W.-Y., An, Z.-X., Lin, J., Xiao, J.Z., Cao, H.B., Liu, P.A., Jiang, X.G., et al. (1997) Effects of Diet and Exercise in Preventing NIDDM in People with Impaired Glucose Tolerance, Diabetes Care 20, 537–544.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Tuomilehto, J., Lindstrom, J., Eriksson, J.G., Valle, T.T., Hamalainen, H., Ilanne-Parikka, P., Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi, S., Laakso, M., Louheranta, A., Rastus, M., et al. (2001) Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Changes in Lifestyle Among Subjects with Impaired Glucose Tolerance, N. Engl. J. Med. 344, 1343–1350.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Knowler, W.C., Barrett-Connor, E., Fowler, S.E., Hamman, R.F., Lachin, J.M., Walker, E.A., and Nathan, D.M. (2002) Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes with Lifestyle Intervention or Metformin, N. Engl. J. Med. 346, 393–403.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Willett, W.C. (1998) Is Dietary Fat a Major Determinant of Body Fat? Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 67 (Suppl. 3), 556S-562S (see comments) (published erratum appears in Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 70, 304, 1999).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Pirozzo, S., Summerbell, C., Cameron, C., and Glasziou, P. (2002) Advice on Low-Fat Diets for Obesity (Cochrane Review), The Cochrane Library Series, Issue 2, Update Software, Oxford.

  31. McManus, K., Antinoro, L., and Sacks, F. (2001) A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Moderate-Fat, Low-Energy Diet Compared with a Low Fat, Low-Energy Diet for Weight Loss in Overweight Adults, Int. J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Disord. 25, 1503–1511.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Ludwig, D.S. (2000) Dietary Glycemic Index and Obesity, J. Nutr. 130 (Suppl. 2S), 280S-283S.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Roberts, S.B. (2000) High-Glycemic Index Foods, Hunger, and Obesity: Is There a Connection? Nutr. Rev. 58, 163–169.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Brand-Miller, J.C., Holt, S.H., Pawlak, D.B., and McMillan, J. (2002) Glycemic Index and Obesity, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 76, 281S-285S.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave., 02115, Boston, MA

    Frank B. Hu

Authors
  1. Frank B. Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frank B. Hu.

About this article

Cite this article

Hu, F.B. Sedentary lifestyle and risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Lipids 38, 103–108 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-003-1038-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-003-1038-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation