Sedentary time (ST) is increasingly recognized as raising the risk of cardiovascular disease events, diabetes and mortality in the general population. Recent findings have shown that not only the total amount of ST, but also the pattern of accumulation might influence health status, being prolonged unbroken periods of ST particularly harmful. In fibromyalgia, the total amount of ST has also been directly associated with higher risk incident of the disease and worsened symptomatology. Evidence regarding the deleterious effects of prolonged unbroken periods of ST in fibromyalgia to date is limited.
In our study, we examined the association of prolonged ST with overall disease severity in more than 400 middle-aged women with fibromyalgia from southern Spain. We assessed physical activity and ST using triaxial accelerometers, and disease severity through the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR). Our findings suggest that accumulating ST in longer periods is associated with greater overall disease severity. Interestingly, this association was generally independent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity performed or physical fitness levels of the patients. Additionally, a combined association of total and prolonged ST with disease severity was found, highlighting the potential importance of both ST variables as disease severity risk behaviors in fibromyalgia. If intervention and longitudinal studies confirm these cross-sectional findings, future health recommendations in this population should focus on messaging the benefits of reducing total volume and prolonged periods of ST.
Complete reference
Segura-Jiménez V, Gavilán-Carrera B, Acosta-Manzano P, Cook DB, Estévez-López F, Delgado-Fernández M. (2020) Sedentary Time Accumulated in Bouts is Positively Associated with Disease Severity in Fibromyalgia: The Al-Ándalus Project. J Clin Med. 9, (3). Pii:E733.
