Sitting time and body mass index, in a Portuguese sample of men: results from the Azorean Physical Activity and Health Study (APAHS)

Physical activity and overweight/obesity among Malaysian adults: findings from the 2015 National Health and morbidity survey (NHMS)

BACKGROUND

Overweight and obesity are growing health problems both worldwide and in Malaysia due to such lifestyle changes as decreased physical activity (PA), increased sedentary behavior and unhealthy eating habits. This study examined the levels and patterns of PA among normal-weight and overweight/obese adults and to investigate the association between PA level and overweight/obesity in Malaysian adults.

METHODS

This study used data from the 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), a nationwide cross-sectional survey that implemented a two-stage stratified random sampling design. Respondents aged 18 years and above (n = 17,261) were included in the analysis. The short version of International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was administered to assess the respondents' PA levels. The respondents' height and weight were objectively measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The respondents were categorized according to BMI as either normal-weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m2) or overweight/obese (≥ 25 kg/m2). Descriptive and complex sample logistic regression analyses were employed as appropriate.

RESULTS

Overall, approximately 1 in 2 respondents (51.2%) were overweight/obese, even though the majority (69.0%) reporting at least a moderate level of PA (total PA ≥ 10 MET-hours/week). In both normal-weight and overweight/obese groups, a significantly higher prevalence of high PA (total PA ≥ 50 MET-hours/week) was observed among men than women (p < 0.001), but women reported a significantly higher prevalence of low and moderate PA than men (p < 0.001). Men reported significantly higher activity levels (in MET-hours/week) than women with regard to walking, vigorous-intensity PA and total PA (p < 0.001). Overweight/obese men reported a significantly lower level of vigorous-intensity PA and total PA than normal-weight men (p < 0.001). A low level of PA was associated with the risk of overweight/obesity (Adjusted OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.01-1.30) compared to a high level of PA among men but not among women.

CONCLUSIONS

The levels of PA were inversely related to the risk of overweight/obesity in men but not in women. Programs designed to reduce overweight/obesity rates should encourage the practice of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA. Future research should consider using longitudinal and prospective approaches that simultaneously measure dietary intake, PA and BMI among Malaysian adults to investigate the actual relationship between PA and overweight/obesity.

Sitting time and obesity in a sample of adults from Europe and the USA

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a risk factor for many chronic diseases and the prevalence is increasing worldwide. Research suggests that sedentary behaviour (sitting) may be related to obesity.

AIM

To examine the association between sitting time and obesity, while controlling for physical activity, in a large international sample.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

In total, 5338 adults from the UK, USA, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Austria and Switzerland self-reported their total daily sitting time, physical activity, age, height and weight. BMI (kg/m²), total physical activity (MET-minutes/week) and sitting time (hours/day) were derived. Participants were grouped into quartiles based on their daily sitting time (<4, 4-≤6, 6-≤8 and >8 hours/day) and logistic regression models explored the odds of being obese vs normal weight for each sitting time quartile.

RESULTS

Participants in the highest sitting time quartile (≥8 hours/day) had 62% higher odds of obesity compared to participants in the lowest quartile (<4 hours/day) after adjustment for physical activity and other confounding variables (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.24-2.12, p < .01).

CONCLUSION

Sitting time is associated with obesity in adults, independent of physical activity. Future research should clarify this association using objective measures of sitting time and physical activity to further inform health guidelines.

Associations between body composition, nutrition, and physical activity in young adults

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study is to investigate the associations between total energy, macronutrient intakes, and physical activity (PA) and body composition by assessing body fat mass, fat-free mass, and BMI in a population of young adults.

METHODS

The study population consisted of 605 young Spanish adults (median age 20.38 ± 2.67). Body composition, including fat mass and fat-free mass, was calculated with body composition analyzer. Daily energy and macronutrient intakes were measured using a 72-h recall method. The International PA Questionnaire was used to assess PA and sedentary time. Linear regression analyses were performed to test the possible associations between nutrition, PA factors, and body composition.

RESULTS

Linear regression analyses revealed that BMI has a significant positive association with protein intake (P = .004, B = 0.088, 95% CI 0.028-0.149) and an inverse association with carbohydrate intake (P = 0.034, B = -0.027, 95% CI -0.053 - -0.002). Protein intake also demonstrated a significant association with fat-free mass, but the size of the effect was smaller (P = .027, B = 96.965, 95% CI 11.250-182.679). There was evidence of a positive association between total PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA (P < .001, B = 15.630, 95% CI 6.989 -24.270) and fat-free mass (P < .001, B = 20.208, 95% CI 9.694 -30.723). When fat mass was used as the outcome variable, there was no evidence of any association with the PA, total energy, and macronutrient intakes variables analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that PA variables were consistently associated with body composition, specifically fat-free mass. Dietary factors also have influence over body composition; we showed that protein intake is significantly associated with fat-free mass and BMI.

Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time Differ According to Education Level in Young Adults

This study examined the association of education level with objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in young adults. Data from the Finnish ESTER study (2009–2011) (n = 538) was used to examine the association between educational attainment and different subcomponents of physical activity and sedentary time measured using hip-worn accelerometers (ActiGraph GT1M) for seven consecutive days. Overall physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light-intensity physical activity and sedentary time were calculated separately for weekdays and weekend days. A latent profile analysis was conducted to identify the different profiles of sedentary time and the subcomponents of physical activity. The educational differences in accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time varied according to the subcomponents of physical activity, and between weekdays and weekend days. A high education level was associated with high MVPA during weekdays and weekend days in both sexes, high sedentary time during weekdays in both sexes, and a low amount of light-intensity physical activity during weekdays in males and during weekdays and weekend days in females. The results indicate different challenges related to unhealthy behaviours in young adults with low and high education: low education is associated with a lack of MVPA, whereas high education is associated with a lack of light-intensity physical activity and high sedentary time especially during weekdays.

Do sedentary behaviors mediate associations between socio-demographic characteristics and BMI in women living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods?

BACKGROUND

Women living in deprived neighborhoods are a risk group for overweight and obesity, particularly during the childbearing years. Several socio-demographic characteristics may compound this risk, but little is known about why this might be the case. Sedentary behaviors are emerging as a socio-demographically patterned risk factor for obesity. The purpose of the present study was to assess socio-demographic differences in sedentary behaviors, and to examine whether these behaviors could explain the relation between socio-demographic variables and BMI (BMI) in this risk group.

METHODS

Women aged 18-46 years were recruited from 40 urban and 40 rural deprived neighborhoods in Victoria, Australia. In total, 3879 women reported socio-demographic variables (age, educational level, employment status, marital status, number of children, residential location and country of birth), sedentary behaviors (television time, computer time, total screen time and total sedentary time), physical activity, and height and weight, which were used to calculate BMI. For each socio-demographic variable, four single mediation models were conducted using two-level mixed-models regression analyses. Mediating effects were examined using the MacKinnon product-of-coefficients procedure and the Sobel test.

RESULTS

All socio-demographic variables were significantly associated with sedentary behaviors. Single mediation analyses revealed that television time (αβ = 0.017, 95% CI = 0.000, 0.030) and total screen time (αβ = 0.006, 95% CI = 0.000, 0.012) mediated 14.1% and 4.9% of the relationship between educational level and BMI, respectively. Total screen time mediated 45.1% of the relationship between employment status and BMI (αβ = -0.020, 95% CI = -0.033, -0.006), and television time mediated 8.2% of the relationship between country of birth and BMI (αβ = -0.008, 95% CI = -0.016, -0.001).

CONCLUSION

Sedentary behaviors differed depending on socio-demographic characteristics, and partly explained the relationship between socio-demographic factors and BMI in this sample of women. Both television time and total screen time are potential behaviors to target in future programs aimed at reducing socio-demographic disparities in overweight and obesity.

Objectively-assessed and self-reported sedentary time in relation to multiple socioeconomic status indicators among adults in England: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To examine the associations between socioeconomic position (SEP) and multidomain self-reported and objectively-assessed sedentary time (ST).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

General population households in England.

PARTICIPANTS

2289 adults aged 16-96 years who participated in the 2008 Health Survey for England.

OUTCOMES

Accelerometer-measured ST, and self-reported television time, non-television leisure-time sitting and occupational sitting/standing. We examined multivariable associations between household income, social class, education, area deprivation for each SEP indicator (including a 5-point composite SEP score computed by aggregating individual SEP indicators) and each ST indicator using generalised linear models.

RESULTS

Accelerometry-measured total ST and occupational sitting/standing were positively associated with SEP score and most of its constituent SEP indicators, while television time was negatively associated with SEP score and education level. Area-level deprivation was largely unrelated to ST. Those in the lowest composite SEP group spent 64 (95% CIs 52 to 76) and 72 (48 to 98), fewer minutes/day in total ST and occupational sitting/standing compared to those in the top SEP group, and an additional 48 (35-60) min/day watching television (p<0.001 for linear trend). Stratified analyses showed that these associations between composite SEP score and total ST were evident only among participants who were in employment.

CONCLUSIONS

Occupational sitting seems to drive the positive association between SEP and total ST. Lower SEP is linked to higher TV viewing times.

Adult total wellness: group differences based on sitting time and physical activity level

Background

An increasing body of evidence associates a high level of sitting time with poor health outcomes. The benefits of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activities to various aspects of health are now well documented; however, individuals may engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week and still exhibit a high level of sitting time. This purpose of this study was to examine differences in total wellness among adults relative to high/low levels of sitting time combined with insufficient/sufficient physical activity (PA). The construct of total wellness incorporates a holistic approach to the body, mind and spirit components of life, an approach which may be more encompassing than some definitions of health.

Methods

Data were obtained from 226 adult respondents (27 ± 6 years), including 116 (51%) males and 110 (49%) females. Total PA and total sitting time were assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (short-version). The Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle Inventory was used to assess total wellness. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was utilised to assess the effects of the sitting time/physical activity group on total wellness. A covariate was included to partial out the effects of age, sex and work status (student or employed). Cross-tabulations were used to show associations between the IPAQ derived high/low levels of sitting time with insufficient/sufficient PA and the three total wellness groups (i.e. high level of wellness, moderate wellness and wellness development needed).

Results

The majority of the participants were located in the high total sitting time and sufficient PA group. There were statistical differences among the IPAQ groups for total wellness [F (2,220) = 32.5 (p <0.001)]. A Chi-square test revealed a significant difference in the distribution of the IPAQ categories within the classification of wellness [χ² (N = 226) = 54.5, p < .001]. One-hundred percent (100%) of participants who self-rated as high total sitting time/insufficient PA were found in the wellness development needed group. In contrast, 72% of participants who were located in the low total sitting time/sufficient PA group were situated in the moderate wellness group.

Conclusion

Many participants who meet the physical activity guidelines, in this sample, sit for longer periods of time than the median Australian sitting time. An understanding of the effects of the enhanced PA and reduced sitting time on total wellness can add to the development of public health initiatives.

The descriptive epidemiology of sitting among US adults, NHANES 2009/2010

OBJECTIVES

Using NHANES 2009/2010, to describe the amount of time a representative sample of the U.S. population spends sitting by age, sex, ethnicity, education, and body mass index.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analysis.

METHODS

Participants (n=5911, ≥20 years) self-reported demographic variables and the amount of time they spend sitting on a typical day. Body mass index was calculated from measured height and weight.

RESULTS

Mean self-reported sitting time was 285min/day for males and 281min/day for females. Mexican-Americans reported sitting less than both non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks (all p<0.0001). Non-Hispanic White males reported sitting more than non-Hispanic Black males, while Non-Hispanic White females reported sitting more than Other Hispanic females (both p<0.0001). No significant differences were found between sexes in any age group. There was a trend for increased sitting time with increasing age for females (p for trend=0.0045), for all Mexican-American and Hispanic participants and non-Hispanic Black males (all p≤0.006) and with increasing education (p for trend <0.0001). At the College Graduate level, females reported sitting less than males (p<0.0001). Obese females reported sitting more than normal weight and overweight females (p=0.0008). There were no significant differences in sitting time by body mass index for males.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported sitting time differed by ethnicity, age group, education and body mass index but there was no overall difference by sex. These results represent the most up to date prevalence of self-reported sitting for the US adult population. Certain groups should be targeted to reduce sitting time, for example those with higher educational attainment and obese females.

Sociodemographic and anthropometric factors associated with screen-based sedentary behavior among Japanese adults: a population-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Concern over the health risks of sedentary behavior has highlighted the need to examine factors associated with screen-based (television/computer) sedentary behavior. The present study examined the association of screen-based sedentary behavior with body weight and sociodemographic attributes among Japanese adults.

METHODS

A population-based cross-sectional study enrolled 1034 Japanese adults aged 40 to 69 years who lived in 2 Japanese cities. Sociodemographic variables, height, weight, and time spent on screen-based sedentary behavior were collected by self-administered questionnaire. Differences in screen time in relation to body mass index and weight gain since age 20 years were assessed by the Mann-Whitney U test. Independent associations of each variable with screen time were examined by forced-entry logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Mean (SD) age and median (interquartile range) duration of screen time per week were 55.6 (8.4) years and 832.0 (368.8-1263.1) minutes, respectively, for men, and 55.3 (8.4) years and 852.6 (426.0-1307.5) minutes, respectively, for women. Screen time among participants with weight gain was longer than among those with a weight gain of less than 10 kg (P = 0.08). Unmarried and unemployed participants had longer screen times. Participants aged 40 to 49 years were less likely than older age groups to spend time on screen-based sedentary behavior during leisure hours.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings imply that strategies are necessary to discourage screen-based sedentary behavior among all demographic groups, especially among adults who are elderly, unmarried, or unemployed.

Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Dietary Patterns among Children

Energy balance-related behavioral patterns find their origin in early childhood. The current paper provides an overview of studies that have examined such behavioral patterns, i.e., the clustering of dietary behaviors, physical activity, and/or sedentary behavior. The paper discusses the importance of examining energy balance-related behavioral patterns in children, outlines methods to examine these patterns, and provides examples of patterns that have been found (e.g., the universal sedentary-snacking and healthy intake patterns, as well as more unique or local patterns), child and parental characteristics predicting such patterns (e.g., child gender and maternal educational level), and the relationship of these patterns with overweight and related measures.

Sitting time in Germany: an analysis of socio-demographic and environmental correlates

Background

Sedentary behaviour in general and sitting time in particular is an emerging global health concern. The aim of this study was to provide data on the prevalence of sitting time in German adults and to examine socio-demographic and environmental correlates of sitting time.

Methods

A representative sample of German adults (n = 2000; 967 men, 1033 women; 49.3 ±17.6 years of age) filled in the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, including one question on overall sitting time and answered questions about the neighbourhood environment, as well as concerning demographics. Daily sitting time was stratified by gender, age group, BMI, educational and income level, as well as physical activity (PA). To identify socio-demographic and environmental correlates of sitting time, we used a series of linear regressions.

Results

The overall median was 5 hours (299 minutes) of sitting time/day and men sat longer than women (5 vs. 4 hours/day; p < 0.05). In both genders age and PA were negatively and the educational level positively associated with sitting time. The level of income was not a correlate of sitting time in multivariate analyses. Sitting time was significantly positively associated with higher neighbourhood safety for women. The variance of the multivariate model ranged from 16.5% for men to 8.9% for women.

Conclusions

The overall sitting time was unequally distributed in the German adult population. Our findings suggest implementing specific interventions to reduce sitting time for subgroups such as men, younger aged adults and adults with a higher education and lower PA. Future studies should enhance our understanding of the specific correlates of different types and domains of sitting in order to guide the development of effective public health strategies.

Portuguese adults' physical activity during different periods of the year

This study aims to describe the daily physical activity (PA) of a sample of adults over the course of 1 year and to examine if there are any changes in achieving PA recommendations when assessed at different periods of the year. Participants, 257 women (age: 58.99 ± 18.93 years, BMI: 26.75 ± 4.57 kg m(-2)) and 178 men (age: 49.22 ± 20.39 years, BMI: 26.81 ± 3.51 kg m(-2)), wore an accelerometer 4-7 days. Periods of data collection were defined as T1 (September to December), T2 (January to April) and T3 (May to July). From T1 and T2, men from 20 to 39 years significantly increased values of daily average ct.min(-1) (U = 506, p = 0.012), due to an increase in moderate-to-vigorous PA by 15.96 min (U = 455, p = 0.003). Achievement of the two PA recommendations varied throughout the year and among the gender/age groups. Results from this study showed that women generally maintain their level of PA throughout the year, whereas men show some variation, and that there are periods of the year when individuals are more likely to be involved in PA, or perform lower-intensity activities, especially older age groups. Also, recommendations of minimum PA are not accomplished in a constant way throughout the year. PA interventions should be conducted while being mindful of the time of year in which they will take place in order to help maintain a consistent PA level throughout the year to ensure health benefits from PA.

Clustering of energy balance-related behaviors in 5-year-old children: lifestyle patterns and their longitudinal association with weight status development in early childhood

Background

This study identified lifestyle patterns by examining the clustering of eating routines (e.g. eating together as a family, having the television on during meals, duration of meals) and various activity-related behaviors (i.e. physical activity (PA) and sedentary screen-based behavior) in 5-year-old children, as well as the longitudinal association of these patterns with weight status (BMI and overweight) development up to age 8.

Methods

Data originated from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study (N = 2074 at age 5). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify lifestyle patterns. Backward regression analyses were used to examine the association of lifestyle patterns with parent and child background characteristics, as well as the longitudinal associations between the patterns and weight status development.

Results

Four lifestyle patterns emerged from the PCA: a ‘Television–Snacking’ pattern, a ‘Sports–Computer’ pattern, a ‘Traditional Family’ pattern, and a “Fast’ Food’ pattern. Child gender and parental educational level, working hours and body mass index were significantly associated with the scores for the patterns. The Television–Snacking pattern was positively associated with BMI (standardized regression coefficient β = 0.05; p < 0.05), and children with this pattern showed a positive tendency toward being overweight at age 8 (Odds ratio (OR) = 1.27, p = 0.06). In addition, the Sports–Computer pattern was significantly positively associated with an increased risk of becoming overweight at age 7 (OR = 1.28, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The current study showed the added value of including eating routines in cross-behavioral clustering analyses. The findings indicate that future interventions to prevent childhood overweight should address eating routines and activity/inactivity simultaneously, using the synergy between clustered behaviors (e.g. between television viewing and snacking).

Adult sedentary behavior: a systematic review

CONTEXT

While the health benefits of meeting moderate/vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) guidelines have been well established, the health risks of sedentary behavior, independent of meeting MVPA guidelines, are becoming evident. Sedentary behavior may require different interventions, based on correlates that differ from MVPA. The current review aimed to collect and appraise the current literature on correlates of sedentary behaviors among adults.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Papers were considered eligible if they were published in English-language peer-reviewed journals and examined correlates of sedentary behaviors. Literature searches were conducted in August 2011 among ten search engines yielding 3691 potentially relevant records; of these, 109 papers (82 independent samples) passed eligibility criteria.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Articles included were published between 1982 and 2011, with sample sizes ranging from 39 to 123,216. Eighty-three were cross-sectional, 24 followed a prospective design, one was experimental baseline data, and one was cohort design. Sedentary behavior was primarily measured as TV viewing or computer use, followed by analysis of a more omnibus assessment of time spent sitting. Evidence was present for sedentary behavior and correlates of education, age, employment status, gender, BMI, income, smoking status, MVPA, attitudes, and depressive symptoms/quality of life. Notable differences by specific sedentary behaviors were present that aided in the explanation of findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Results point to the high specificity of various sedentary behaviors (e.g., TV viewing vs sitting and socializing), suggesting that the research domain is complex and cannot be considered the simple absence of MVPA. Several sociodemographic and health factors appear reliably linked to sedentary behavior, yet there is an obvious absence of research focused on cognitive, social, and environmental factors that could be of use in anti-sedentary behavior interventions.

Trends of BMI and prevalence of overweight and obesity in Portugal (1995-2005): a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Locale-specific data on BMI and overweight/obesity are necessary to understand how the obesity epidemic is evolving in each setting. We aimed to describe the temporal trends of mean BMI and prevalences of overweight/obesity in studies that evaluated Portuguese adults and older people.

DESIGN

Systematic review, conducted via a PubMed search up to January 2011 and independent reference screening and data extraction. Twenty-one eligible studies were identified. Data were extracted from the published reports and obtained from the authors of seven of the largest studies. Adjusted ecological estimates of mean BMI and prevalences of overweight/obesity were computed by linear regression.

RESULTS

Between 1995 and 2005, when using data obtained from anthropometric measurements, overweight prevalence increased by 3·2 % and 3·5 % and obesity prevalence by 7·4 % and 1·3 % among women and men, respectively, while mean BMI did not vary meaningfully. When using self-reported information, mean BMI increased by 0·8 kg/m2 and 0·9 kg/m2, overweight prevalence by 3·5 % and 3·7 % and obesity prevalence by 5·8 % and 5·5 % among women and men, respectively. Results from the 20-year-old conscripts (1960-2000) showed a marked increase in these outcomes in the last decades.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show an important increase in overweight/obesity in younger ages. The trends in the indicators derived from self-reported data suggest an increase in awareness of the importance of overweight/obesity among the population.

Sitting time and cardiometabolic risk factors in african american overweight women

Findings from previous research linking sedentary time with cardiometabolic risk factors and body composition are inconsistent, and few studies address population groups most vulnerable to these compromising conditions. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the relationship of sitting time to cardiometabolic risk factors and body composition among African American women. A subsample of African American women (N = 135) completed health and laboratory assessments, including measures of blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, body mass index, body fat, sitting time, and demographics. Simultaneous, adjusted regression models found a positive association between weekend sitting time and glucose and an inverse association between weekly sedentary time and cholesterol (ps < .05). There were no significant associations between sedentary behavior and body composition. The unexpected relationship between sedentary time and cholesterol suggests that the relationship of sedentary behavior to cardiometabolic risk factors may depend on existing characteristics of the population and measurement definition of sedentary behavior. Results suggest distinctly different relationships between weekend and weekday sitting time, implicating a need for careful measurement and intervention that reflects these differences.

Prediction of body fat in older adults by time spent in sedentary behavior

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between sedentary behavior (SB), physical activity (PA), and body fat (total, abdominal) or body size (body-mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC]) in community-dwelling adults 50 yr old and over. This study included 232 ambulatory adults (50-87 yr, 37.4% ± 9.6% body fat [BF]). Average daily time spent in SB (<100 counts/min) and light (100-759 counts/min), lifestyle-moderate (760-1,951 counts/min), walking-moderate (1,952-5,724 cts/min), and vigorous-intensity (≥ 5,725 counts/min) PA were determined by accelerometer and corrected for wear time. BF was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. SB was positively related to measures of BF. Measures of SB, PA, and gender accounted for 55.6% of the variance in total BF, 32.4% of the variance in abdominal fat, and 28.0% of the variance in WC. SB, PA, and age accounted for 27.1% of the variance in BMI. Time spent in SB should be considered when designing obesity interventions for adults 50 yr old and over.

Sitting time and Body Mass Index in diabetics and pre-diabetics willing to participate in a lifestyle intervention

This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI), total sitting time and total physical activity time in a generally overweight or obese population of type 2 diabetics or pre-diabetics willing to participate in a lifestyle intervention [n = 221, 55.1% male, mean age (SD) 62.0 (9.9), mean BMI (SD) 31.4 (5.0)]. In addition, we aimed to identify demographic and psychosocial associates of the motivation to become more physically active. The measurement instrument was a self-report questionnaire. Results showed that total sitting time was more closely related to BMI than total physical activity time. Subjects with a higher weight status were more sedentary, but they were also more motivated to be physically active. On the other hand, their self-efficacy to be physically active was lower than subjects with a lower weight status. Lifestyle interventions to decrease the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes should aim not only at increasing total physical activity time, but also at reducing the total sitting time. Despite generally high levels of motivation among these obese participants, intervention designers and intermediaries should be aware of their low level of self-efficacy towards being physically active.