Table 5

Associations of study characteristics with intervention effects on cardiometabolic biomarkers (meta-regression)

	Unadjusted				Age adjusted
	k, n	b (95% CI)	P value	I², p value	k, n	b (95% CI)	P value	I², p value
Waist circumference, cm	19, 2076			45.8%, p=0.016	19, 2076			45.8%, p=0.016
Mean baseline age, per 10 y	18, 2050	−0.50 (−1.18 to 0.17)	0.144	51.6%, p=0.007		–	–	–
Mean baseline BMI, kg/m²	19, 2076	−0.04 (−0.25 to 0.16)	0.672	48.6%, p=0.011	18, 2050	−0.01 (−0.24 to 0.22)	0.910	54.5%, p=0.005
Mean baseline level	19, 2076	0.01 (−0.08 to 0.09)	0.856	44.9%, p=0.021	18, 2050	0.07 (−0.03 to 0.18)	0.182	45.9%, p=0.023
Sedentary effectiveness, h/day*	19, 2076	−0.62 (−1.42 to 0.18)	0.127	38.7%, p=0.048	18, 2050	−1.05 (−1.96 to −0.14)	0.023	40.3%, p=0.049
Duration (vs ≤3 months)	19, 2076		0.896	51.8%, p=0.007	18, 2050		0.307	57.7%, p=0.003
3–6 months		0.15 (−1.08 to 1.37)	0.816			0.92 (−0.69 to 2.52)	0.262
>6 months		−0.36 (−2.28 to 1.57)	0.717			−0.25 (−2.28 to 1.78)	0.809
Risk of bias (vs high risk)	19, 2076		0.098	22.6%, p=0.192	18, 2050		0.109	25.4%, p=0.174
Some concerns		−0.70 (−2.50 to 1.09)	0.441			−0.52 (−2.39 to 1.34)	0.582
Low risk		−1.47 (−3.10 to 0.16)	0.077			−1.36 (−3.03 to 0.31)	0.110
Fat-free mass, kg	7, 1011			72.7%, p=0.001	7, 1011			72.7%, p=0.001
Mean baseline age, per 10 years	7, 1011	0.14 (−0.60 to 0.88)	0.714	74.5%, p=0.001		–	–	–
Mean baseline BMI, kg/m²	7, 1011	0.07 (−0.18 to 0.32)	0.575	76.8%, p<0.001	7, 1011	0.07 (−0.24 to 0.38)	0.660	79.6%, p=<0.001
Mean baseline level	7, 1011	0.04 (−0.10 to 0.18)	0.540	75.0%, p=0.001	7, 1011	0.06 (−0.16 to 0.27)	0.618	79.4%, p=<0.001
Sedentary effectiveness, hour/day*	7, 1011	0.23 (−0.98 to 1.44)	0.711	77.1%, p<0.001	7, 1011	0.21 (−1.02 to 1.44)	0.738	79.4%, p=<0.001
Duration (>6 vs ≤3 months)†	7, 1011	0.06 (1.23 to 1.36)	0.922	77.1%, p<0.001	7, 1011	−0.14 (−1.86 to 1.58)	0.875	77.6%, p=0.001
Risk of bias (vs high risk)	7, 1011		0.490	69.9%, p=0.010	7, 1011		0.619	74.5%, p=0.008
Some concerns		0.72 (−0.53 to 1.98)	0.258			1.23 (−0.73 to 3.20)	0.219
Low risk		0.12 (−1.10 to 1.34)	0.847			0.37 (−1.07 to 1.81)	0.615
Glucose, mM	19, 1518			45.5%, p=0.017	19, 1518			45.5%, p=0.017
Mean baseline age, per 10 years	19, 1518	−0.01 (−0.08 to 0.07)	0.891	47.9%, p=0.012		–	–	–
Mean baseline BMI, kg/m²	19, 1518	0.01 (−0.01 to 0.03)	0.391	46.0%, p=0.017	19, 1518	0.01 (−0.01 to 0.04)	0.330	48.8%, p=0.012
Mean baseline level	18, 1497	−0.01 (−0.23 to 0.20)	0.908	45.8%, p=0.021	18, 1497	0.03 (−0.23 to 0.29)	0.819	46.0%, p=0.023
Sedentary effectiveness, h/day*	18, 1497	−0.02 (−0.21 to 0.16)	0.804	45.6%, p=0.021	18, 1497	−0.05 (−0.25 to 0.15)	0.632	46.0%, p=0.023
Duration (vs ≤3 months)	19, 1518		0.611	51.5%, p=0.007	19, 1518		0.732	54.0%, p=0.005
3–6 months		−0.00 (−0.19 to 0.19)	0.980			0.04 (−0.24 to 0.32)	0.769
>6 months		−0.12 (−0.37 to 0.13)	0.345			−0.14 (−0.43 to 0.15)	0.355
Risk of bias (vs high risk)	19, 1518		0.424	48.3%, p=0.014	19, 1518		0.543	49.7%, p=0.013
Some concerns		0.18 (−0.13 to 0.48)	0.256			0.21 (−0.12 to 0.54)	0.212
Low risk		0.12 (−0.09 to 0.33)	0.267			0.17 (−0.09 to 0.42)	0.202
Insulin, pM	10, 1102			64.0%, p=0.003	10, 1102			64.0%, p=0.003
Mean baseline age, per 10 years	10, 1102	0.76 (−2.63 to 4.15)	0.660	68.0%, p=0.002		–	–	–
Mean baseline BMI, kg/m²	10, 1102	0.20 (−1.09 to 1.48)	0.764	67.8%, p=0.002	10, 1102	0.02 (−1.60 to 1.65)	0.980	68.8%, p=0.002
Mean baseline level	10, 1102	0.15 (0.03 to 0.27)	0.018	61.1%, p=0.008	10, 1102	0.21 (0.12 to 0.31)	<0.001	0.0%, p=0.641
Sedentary effectiveness, hour/day*	10, 1102	1.65 (−6.15 to 9.45)	0.678	66.5%, p=0.002	10, 1102	3.51 (−6.34 to 13.35)	0.485	45.4%, p=0.077
Duration (vs ≤3 months)	10, 1102		0.014	50.8%, p=0.047	10, 1102		0.268	57.8%, p=0.027
3–6 months		2.14 (−7.20 to 11.48)	0.654			1.87 (−8.64 to 12.38)	0.728
>6 months		7.87 (−0.21 to 15.95)	0.056			6.84 (−2.33 to 16.01)	0.144
Risk of bias (vs high risk)	10, 1102		<0.001	11.9%, p=0.338	10, 1102		0.211	22.8%, p=0.255
Some concerns		−0.24 (−1.42 to 0.94)	0.692			−3.10 (−11.81 to 5.62)	0.486
Low risk		−4.64 (−6.95 to −2.32)	<0.001			−5.60 (−11.33 to 0.14)	0.056
HbA1c, %	9, 892			72.9%, p=0.000	9, 892			72.9%, p=0.000
Mean baseline age, per 10 years	9, 892	−0.10 (−0.18 to −0.02)	0.011	49.5%, p=0.054		–	–	–
Mean baseline BMI, kg/m²	9, 892	−0.01 (−0.05 to 0.03)	0.599	76.3%, p<0.001	9, 892	−0.03 (0.05 to –0.01)	0.004	0.0%, p=0.454
Mean baseline level	9, 892	−0.15 (−0.34 to 0.04)	0.127	76.3%, p<0.001	9, 892	−0.16 (−0.32 to 0.00)	0.055	49.1%, p=0.067
Sedentary effectiveness, hour/day*	9, 892	0.08 (−0.10 to 0.26)	0.379	69.5%, p=0.002	9, 892	−0.02 (−0.20 to 0.17)	0.862	56.4%, p=0.032
Duration (vs ≤3 months)	9, 892		0.994	78.0%, p<0.001	9, 892		0.002	24.7%, p=0.249
3–6 months		−0.02 (−0.35 to 0.32)	0.919			0.04 (−0.14 to 0.23)	0.641
>6 months		−0.02 (−0.38 to 0.35)	0.932			−0.24 (−0.50 to 0.02)	0.069
Risk of bias (vs high risk)	9, 892		0.090	75.4%, p<0.001	9, 892		0.037	59.4%, p=0.031
Some concerns		0.30 (−0.25 to 0.85)	0.287			0.28 (−0.23 to 0.79)	0.286
Low risk		0.50 (−0.02 to 1.02)	0.058			0.40 (−0.09 to 0.89)	0.113
Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg	25, 1932			52.6%, p=0.001	25, 1932			52.6%, p=0.001
Mean baseline age, per 10 years	25, 1932	−0.38 (–1.30 to 0.54)	0.421	54.4%, p<0.001		–	–	–
Mean baseline BMI, kg/m²	24, 1903	−0.01 (−0.32 to 0.30)	0.946	53.2%, p=0.001	24, 1903	0.03 (–0.31 to 0.36)	0.885	55.2%, p =<0.001
Mean baseline level	24, 1911	−0.16 (−0.44 to 0.12)	0.250	52.0%, p=0.002	24, 1911	−0.11 (−0.42 to 0.20)	0.492	52.5%, p=0.002
Sedentary effectiveness, hour/day*	23, 1882	−1.07 (−2.83 to 0.69)	0.232	52.9%, p=0.002	23, 1882	−1.69 (−3.40 to 0.02)	0.053	43.2%, p=0.019
Duration (vs ≤3 months)	25, 1932		0.655	56.2%, p<0.001	25, 1932		0.712	57.9%, p =<0.001
3–6 months		0.22 (−2.50 to 2.94)	0.874			0.40 (−2.64 to 3.43)	0.798
>6 months		−1.20 (−3.97 to 1.57)	0.397			−1.14 (−4.19 to 1.92)	0.465
Risk of bias (vs high risk)	25, 1932		0.699	55.1%, p<0.001	25, 1932		0.629	57.1%, p =<0.001
Some concerns		1.20 −2.05 to 4.45)	0.468			1.82 (1.90 to 5.53)	0.338
Low risk		1.03 (−1.58 to 3.64)	0.439			1.35 (1.56 to 4.25)	0.363
Total cholesterol, mM	23, 1798			54.1%, p=0.001	23, 1798			54.1%, p=0.001
Mean baseline age, per 10 years	23, 1798	−0.14 (−0.22 to -0.07)	<0.001	17.1%, p=0.233		–	–	–
Mean baseline BMI, kg/m²	23, 1798	0.01 (−0.02 to 0.04)	0.664	54.6%, p=0.001	23, 1798	0.01 (−0.01 to 0.03)	0.398	17.4%, p=0.233
Mean baseline level	23, 1798	−0.24 (−0.50 to 0.02)	0.066	45.7%, p=0.011	23, 1798	−0.05 (−0.30 to 0.21)	0.713	20.6%, p=0.195
Sedentary effectiveness, hour/day*	23, 1798	0.08 (−0.04 to 0.20)	0.206	40.3%, p=0.027	23, 1798	0.01 (−0.10 to 0.12)	0.812	19.5%, p=0.208
Duration (vs ≤3 months)	23, 1798		0.573	54.6%, p=0.001	23, 1798		0.003	20.4%, p=0.202
3–6 months		0.07 (−0.17 to 0.31)	0.577			0.06 (−0.12 to 0.24)	0.493
>6 months		0.13 (−0.12 to 0.39)	0.306			0.11 (−0.08 to 0.30)	0.259
Risk of bias (vs high risk)	23, 1798		0.044	47.2%, p=0.009	23, 1798		<0.001	13.7%, p=0.284
Some concerns		−0.34 (−0.65 to –0.04)	0.028			−0.21 (−0.48 to 0.06)	0.134
Low risk		−0.11 (−0.39 to 0.16)	0.419			−0.05 (−0.29 to 0.19)	0.689
Triglycerides, mM	23, 1742			49.0%, p=0.005	23, 1742			49.0%, p=0.005
Mean baseline age, per 10 y	23, 1742	−0.05 (−0.11 to 0.02)	0.149	51.3%, p=0.003		–	–	–
Mean baseline BMI, kg/m²	23, 1742	0.00 (−0.02 to 0.02)	0.962	50.3%, p=0.004	23, 1742	0.01 (−0.02 to 0.03)	0.667	52.4%, p=0.003
Mean baseline level	22, 1721	−0.20 (−0.63 to 0.22)	0.350	45.1%, p=0.014	22, 1721	−0.13 (−0.53 to 0.26)	0.508	31.7%, p=0.087
Sedentary effectiveness, h/day*	22, 1721	−0.06 (−0.17 to 0.05)	0.279	45.9%, p=0.012	22, 1721	−0.13 (−0.21 to –0.05)	0.001	0.0%, p=0.507
Duration (vs ≤3 months)	23, 1742		0.645	53.4%, p=0.002	23, 1742		0.447	55.7%, p=0.001
3–6 months		−0.07 (−0.24 to 0.10)	0.402			−0.05 (−0.24 to 0.14)	0.639
>6 months		−0.06 (−0.25 to 0.13)	0.516			−0.07 (−0.28 to 0.13)	0.481
Risk of bias (vs high risk)	23, 1742		0.396	53.6%, p=0.002	23, 1742		0.485	55.7%, p=0.001
Some concerns		−0.13 (−0.33 to 0.07)	0.218			−0.07 (−0.34 to 0.19)	0.587
Low risk		−0.10 (−0.28 to 0.07)	0.245			−0.06 (−0.28 to 0.16)	0.573

Table presents unstandardised regression coefficient (b) and 95% CI and p value from meta-regression of controlled trials of adult sedentary behaviour interventions ≥7 days. Italics indicates overall p value (omnibus test).
k=total number of interventions included and n=total number of individuals analysed in the included interventions, in the meta-regressions or main meta-analysis (boldface).
Residual heterogeneity (I² and p from Cochrane’s Q test) with overall heterogeneity in the main meta-analysis shown in boldface.
*Estimated effectiveness of intervention on overall sedentary time (net of control).
†No studies in the 3–6 months duration category.
BMI, body mass index.