Differing Context-Specific Sedentary Behaviors in Australian Adults with Higher and Lower Diabetes Risk

Time spent sitting in different settings can pose different risks to health. In Australian adults either with higher and lower diabetes risk, this study examined the differing compositions of self-reported sitting time accumulated in five contexts (occupational, transport, TV viewing, leisure computer-use and other). Participants (n = 3927; 60 ± 11 years; 45% male) were from the 2011–2012 assessment wave of the AusDiab study. The relative compositions of self-reported context-specific sedentary behaviors to total sitting time were compared between those with and without previously undiagnosed dysglycaemia (impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or newly diagnosed T2D), in working (323 with, 1646 without; 5-part composition) and non-working (433, 1525; 4-part composition) adults. For working adults, compared to those without dysglycaemia, those with undiagnosed dysglycemia spent the same proportion of time sitting at work, 3% more time sitting during transport, 9% more time sitting watching TV, 2% less time sitting using a computer for leisure, and 9% less time sitting during other activities. For non-working adults, compared to those without, those with dysglycemia spent 26% less time sitting during transport, 9% more time sitting while watching TV, 29% less time sitting using a computer for leisure, and 5% more time sitting during other activities. In addition to addressing overall sitting time, those with higher levels of diabetes risk may benefit from targeted reductions in context-specific sedentary behaviors, particularly TV viewing time. These findings also provide a case in point with potential relevance for other health problems associated with sedentary behavior.