Sedentary behavior and metabolic dysregulation: A cross-sectional correlational analysis of body mass index and random blood glucose levels in relation to daily sedentary hours.
Sedentary behaviour is increasingly recognized as an independent risk factor for metabolic dysregulation, particularly among university employees engaged in prolonged desk-based work. This cross-sectional correlational study examined the relationships between daily sedentary hours, Body Mass Index (BMI), and Random Blood Glucose (RBG) levels among 66 university workers at S-VYASA University, Bengaluru. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical testing were conducted, and data were analysed using SPSS version 26.0. Participants reported a mean sedentary time of 6.7 ± 2.5 hours/day, with a mean BMI of 27.2 ± 4.5 kg/m² (69% overweight or obese) and mean RBG of 103.7 ± 25.4 mg/dL. No statistically significant correlation was found between sedentary hours and BMI (r ≈ 0.00, p = 0.996) or between sedentary hours and RBG (r ≈ 0.01, p = 0.961). However, BMI showed a significant moderate positive correlation with RBG across the sample (r = 0.350, p = 0.006), independent of sedentary classification. These findings suggest that adiposity, rather than self-reported sedentary time, may be a stronger determinant of glycaemic risk in this population. The results support the need for occupational therapy-led, weight-focused workplace health interventions and highlight the value of objective sedentary-behaviour measurement and more robust glycaemic markers in future research.