Sedentary lifestyle has become increasingly prevalent among young adults due to technological advancement, academic workload, office-based occupations,&recreational screen exposure. Sedentary behaviour refers to any waking activity characterized by

energy expenditure less than 1.5 metabolic equivalents while sitting, reclining, or lying down[1]. Modern urbanization has drastically reduced physical activity among young individuals, resulting in increased prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome,&cardiovascular disorders[2].

Dyslipidemia is one of the earliest metabolic abnormalities associated with sedentary behavior. Lipid profile abnormalities such as elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),&reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are recognized risk factors for atherosclerosis&cardiovascular diseases[3]. Evidence suggests that prolonged sitting time independently contributes to metabolic dysfunction irrespective of regular exercise[4].

Young adulthood represents a critical phase for the development of lifestyle-related disorders. The increasing use of smartphones, laptops, gaming devices,&online learning has significantly increased sedentary duration among college students&working professionals. Several studies have demonstrated a direct association between reduced physical activity&lipid abnormalities among young populations[5-6].

India is currently witnessing a rapid epidemiological transition with increasing burden of non-communicable diseases among younger age groups. Dyslipidemia in young adults often remains asymptomatic&undiagnosed until cardiovascular complications develop later in life. Early identification of lipid profile alterations can therefore help in implementing preventive interventions[7].

The present study was conducted to evaluate lipid profile alterations among young adults with sedentary lifestyle&assess the relationship between duration of sedentary activity&serum lipid parameters.

Present study design is Cross-sectional observational study at Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with Department of General Medicine at a tertiary care teaching hospital for Six months.Young adults aged 18–30 years with sedentary lifestyle.100 participants.

Inclusion Criteria

• Age between 18–30 years.
• Sedentary activity ≥6 hours/day.
• Apparently healthy individuals willing to participate.

Exclusion Criteria

• Known diabetes mellitus.
•  
• Chronic kidney disease.
• Thyroid disorders.
• Liver disease.
• Smokers&alcoholics.
• Individuals on lipid-lowering drugs.

Data Collection

After obtaining Institutional Ethics Committee approval&informed consent, demographic details&clinical history were recorded. Height&weight were measured&BMI calculated using:

BMI=Weight (kg)Height2 (m2)BMI=\frac{Weight\,(kg)}{Height^2\,(m^2)}BMI=Height2(m2)Weight(kg)​

Participants were categorized according to sedentary duration:

• Group A: 6–8 hours/day
• Group B: >8 hours/day

Venous blood samples were collected after overnight fasting of 10–12 hours. Serum lipid profile including:

• Total cholesterol (TC)
• Triglycerides (TG)
• HDL cholesterol
• LDL cholesterol
• VLDL cholesterol

wasanalysed using automated biochemistry analyser.

LDL cholesterol was calculated using Friedewald formula:

LDLC= Total Cholesterol - HDL C - TG/5​

Statistical Analysis

Data were entered into Microsoft Excel&analyzed using SPSS version 25. Quantitative data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Chi-square test was used for comparison. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine correlation between BMI&lipid parameters. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant..

Table 1: Demographic Characteristics of Study Participants

Mean age of participants was 23.6 ± 3.2 years. Majority were males (62%). More than half (56%) had sedentary duration exceeding 8 hours/day.

Table 2: Mean Lipid Profile Parameters Among Study Participants

Elevated triglycerides&LDL-C with reduced HDL-C were commonly observed among sedentary young adults.

Table 3: Comparison of Lipid Profile According to Sedentary Duration

Participants with sedentary duration >8 hours/day had significantly higher TC, TG, LDL-C,&VLDL levels with lower HDL-C levels compared to those sedentary for 6–8 hours/day.

Table 4: Correlation of BMI with Lipid Parameters

BMI showed positive correlation with TC, TG,&LDL-C while HDL-C demonstrated negative correlation.

Sedentary lifestyle has become an unavoidable component of modern living, especially among young adults engaged in academic activities, office-based occupations,&prolonged digital device use. The present study evaluated lipid profile alterations among sedentary young adults&demonstrated significant association between prolonged sedentary duration&dyslipidemia[8].

In the current study, mean age of participants was 23.6 ± 3.2 years, comparable to studies conducted among medical students&university populations. Males constituted 62% of participants, possibly reflecting higher prevalence of prolonged screen exposure&gaming behavior among male subjects[9].

The present study found elevated triglycerides in 46% participants&elevated LDL-C in 39% individuals. Low HDL-C was observed in 42% participants. Similar findings were reported in studies evaluating physically inactive young adults where reduced HDL-C&elevated triglycerides were common metabolic abnormalities[10].

A significant observation in the present study was the association between longer sedentary duration (>8 hours/day)&adverse lipid parameters. Participants sedentary for longer durations demonstrated significantly higher mean TC, TG, LDL-C,&lower HDL-C values. These findings support previous

evidence suggesting prolonged sitting time contributes independently to metabolic dysfunction&dyslipidemia.

The mechanism underlying lipid abnormalities in sedentary individuals involves decreased skeletal muscle activity&reduced lipoprotein lipase activity, leading to impaired triglyceride metabolism&accumulation of LDL cholesterol. Physical inactivity also contributes to insulin resistance&adiposity, further worsening dyslipidemia.

BMI demonstrated positive correlation with TC, TG,&LDL-C in the present study. Increased adiposity is known to alter lipid metabolism through increased free fatty acid release&hepatic lipoprotein synthesis. Negative correlation between BMI&HDL-C observed in this study is consistent with previous literature[11].

Modern lifestyle patterns including online education, social media use, binge watching,&work-from-home culture have drastically increased sedentary exposure among young adults. Several recent studies have highlighted the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting on cardiometabolic health even among individuals meeting recommended exercise guidelines[12].

The findings of this study emphasize the importance of early screening&lifestyle modification among young adults. Promotion of regular physical activity, limiting screen time,&encouraging healthy dietary practices can significantly reduce long-term cardiovascular risk.

Sedentary lifestyle among young adults is significantly associated with lipid profile abnormalities including elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C,&reduced HDL-C levels. Longer duration of sedentary activity is associated with worsening dyslipidemia. BMI also shows significant correlation with adverse lipid parameters. Early lifestyle intervention strategies including regular physical activity, reduction in screen time,&dietary modification are essential to prevent future cardiovascular morbidity.

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