Kids’ inactivity may be offset with Short bouts of exercise

A latest study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, has suggested that short exercise sessions in children at the time when they are inactive may counterbalance the effects of the lack of more constant exercise

In a media release from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the study has suggested that children when interrupted sedentary periods with 3 minutes of moderate-intensity walking in every 30 minutes had lower levels of blood glucose and insulin in comparison to the time when they used to remain inactive for 3 hours.

In a release, Jack A. Yanovski, study's senior author, said, "It can be difficult to fit longer stretches of physical activity into the day. Our study indicates that even small activity breaks could have a substantial impact on children's long-term health".

While explaining, Britni Belcher, study's first author, said that continuous inactive behavior following a meal weakens the ability of the muscles to help clear sugar from the bloodstream.

She added that as a result of such a behavior the body is forced to produce more insulin, which may increase beta cell dysfunction risk, leading to the onset of type 2 diabetes. She noted that their finding have suggested even small activity breaks can prove helpful in beating such negative effects, in the short term at least.