This study examines the associations between total sedentary time and breaks in sedentary time with cardio-metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in a large, ethnically diverse sample of US adults. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006, the researchers found that total sedentary time was significantly associated with adverse outcomes such as waist circumference, HDL-cholesterol, C-reactive protein, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA-%B, and HOMA-%S. Breaks in sedentary time, on the other hand, were beneficially associated with waist circumference, C-reactive protein, and fasting plasma glucose. These findings suggest that prolonged sitting time is a distinct health risk behavior that warrants explicit advice in public health guidelines, particularly in settings where prolonged sitting is common, such as office workplaces. The study also highlights the importance of considering patterns of sedentary time accumulation, as those with more breaks in sedentary time had lower waist circumferences. Additionally, the associations varied by sex, race/ethnicity, and age, with notable differences observed among non-Hispanic whites, Mexican Americans, and non-Hispanic blacks. The study's strengths include the use of objective measures of sedentary time and cardio-metabolic biomarkers, but it also acknowledges limitations such as the reliance on accelerometer data and potential residual confounding factors.This study examines the associations between total sedentary time and breaks in sedentary time with cardio-metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in a large, ethnically diverse sample of US adults. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006, the researchers found that total sedentary time was significantly associated with adverse outcomes such as waist circumference, HDL-cholesterol, C-reactive protein, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA-%B, and HOMA-%S. Breaks in sedentary time, on the other hand, were beneficially associated with waist circumference, C-reactive protein, and fasting plasma glucose. These findings suggest that prolonged sitting time is a distinct health risk behavior that warrants explicit advice in public health guidelines, particularly in settings where prolonged sitting is common, such as office workplaces. The study also highlights the importance of considering patterns of sedentary time accumulation, as those with more breaks in sedentary time had lower waist circumferences. Additionally, the associations varied by sex, race/ethnicity, and age, with notable differences observed among non-Hispanic whites, Mexican Americans, and non-Hispanic blacks. The study's strengths include the use of objective measures of sedentary time and cardio-metabolic biomarkers, but it also acknowledges limitations such as the reliance on accelerometer data and potential residual confounding factors.