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There are numerous risks of a sedentary lifestyle.
From desk jobs on weekdays to scrolling reels during weekends, in today’s digital era, people spend a lot of time sitting or lying down, making them more vulnerable to chronic ailments.
According to new research, sitting for prolonged hours could significantly raise the risk of heart disease.
This is even after exercising during free time.
Let’s take a closer look.
What does the study say?
The study examined data from 90,000 individuals who wore accelerometers for a week and compared their active and inactive times to later diagnoses of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
The results were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The data was taken from the UK Biobank, a sizable scientific research database that primarily contains White people with European ancestry.
The results show a strong correlation between prolonged sitting and a higher risk of heart disease.
“Our findings highlight the importance of minimising prolonged sitting, regardless of your level of physical activity,” Dr Ezim Ajufo, the study’s lead author and a cardiology fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said.
According to CNN, Dr Keith Diaz, an associate professor of behavioural medicine at Columbia University Medical Centre, who was not involved in the study, said that although it is commonly known that excessive sitting can have a negative impact on health, more research is required to identify the precise risks and guidelines for what constitutes too much sitting.
Why can prolonged sitting be harmful?
Diaz noted that since muscles are essential for controlling blood sugar and fat levels, it makes sense that prolonged sitting could be harmful. They need to move in order to perform at their best.
“Taking movement breaks gives your muscles the stimulation they need, and even small amounts can make a difference,” he said.
How many hours of sitting is okay?
The study suggested sitting less than 10.6 hours daily.
“That’s not a hard and fast threshold, but we think it’s a reasonable first step for guidelines and public health intervention.”
The 10.6 hours can add up fast for office workers with desk jobs.
Thus, Diaz warned that only standing still does not activate muscles the way movement does.
Other options, such as using a bike or treadmill desk or holding meetings while walking, may work better.
What are other dangers involved?
Another study led by Ryan Bruellman of the University of Colorado at Boulder reported similar findings.
The study was conducted on 1,000 former or current residents of Colorado, including 730 twins. Participants aged between 28 to 49 and reportedly sat for almost nine hours each day on average. Some of them even claimed to sit for 16 hours daily.
These patients were examined for the two primary markers of heart and metabolic health: body mass index (BMI) and the cardiac risk ratio, which is the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL).
Even when they met the required 20 minutes of physical exercise each day, those who sat for longer periods of time had higher BMI and TC/HDL values.
Therefore, the study demonstrated that the longer we sit, the older our health signs appear.
According to a statement from Bruellman, young adults often think they are immune to the effects of ageing. They believe that until they are in their 50s or 60s, they should not be concerned about their health. But a lot depends on what they do when they are young.
How to get moving?
According to Diaz, the secret is to find useful methods to include movement in your daily routine.
He suggested taking quick walks to switch between work or standing or walking for a few minutes every 30 to 60 minutes.
Ajufo further warned that the dangers of prolonged sitting might not be entirely mitigated by a vigorous workout at the end of the day.
“Sometimes we think we can completely make up for some of the unhealthy behaviours we have … by going out and going for a run,” she said, “What we can say from the findings is that moderate to vigorous physical activity – so that’s running, a brisk walk – is not sufficient to neutralize the harmful effects of sitting.”
“You’re still better off than the person who sat all day then didn’t exercise,” Dr Diaz said.
According to Bruellman’s research, intense activity can aid in counteracting the negative consequences of extended sitting.
With inputs from agencies