Sitting for a long time is bad for health; learn how to reduce the risks

You’ve probably heard about the dangers of sitting around all day, but in most jobs there’s not much to do, right?

According to a new study that analyzed the impacts of staying sitting, no.

Five minutes of brisk walking every half hour can help. to alleviate some of the risk of sitting for long periods of the day, according to a study published on Thursday (12) in the journal American College of Sports Medicine.

The scientific community has known for decades that sitting can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers, said Keith Diaz, lead author of the study and assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. However, until now there were no clear guidelines on how much time one can spend sitting and how often one should be in motion.

“We have known for about a decade that sitting increases the risk of most chronic diseases and also the risk of death premature,” added Diaz, who is also director of the Laboratory of the Behavioral Cardiovascular Health Center from the university. “As well as the amount of fruits and vegetables what they should eat and how much exercise they should do, people need specific guidance on how to combat harm from sitting.”

The walk can be a mere 3 km/h, which is slower than than the speed at which most people normally walk, commented Diaz. The objective is to interrupt the sitting period with a little movement.

Several health markers were evaluated in this study, in different combinations of sitting and walking periods. although the sample size is small, the study was rigorous and with a strong methodology, said Matthew Buman, director of Faculty of Health Solutions at the State University of arizona. Buman did not participate in the study.

“Scientists still don’t know exactly why sitting is so bad, but the theory is that muscles are important in regulation of levels such as blood sugar and cholesterol. When we sit for a long time, the muscles don’t have the chance to contract and operate optimally,” explained Diaz.

Does five minutes every half hour still seem like overkill? Same the short breaks to move around, like a minute of walking every hour, demonstrated a reduction in blood pressure in study participants “considerably,” continued Diaz.

“In addition, all study participants were adults relatively healthy, meaning that those with illnesses chronic diseases may have an even greater benefit,” added Buman.

Why your boss should approve, meven with clearer guidelines, moving regularly it can still seem impossible if the office culture doesn’t promote the measure.

“Many of us lead inactive lifestyles or have jobs where we spend a lot of time sitting,” commented Diaz. “There are still some social rules, and if you’re not at your desk, people think you’re not working.”

Diaz has worked to convince employers of the importance of moving during the workday – not just for individual health, but for the bottom line as well.

“Sitting is an occupational hazard, and a healthy employee is a more productive employee,” he said.

The team found that there were more benefits beyond physical health. for participants who interrupted the period they spent sitting. They also noted that it reduced fatigue and it improved mood, added Diaz.

“Spending eight hours in a chair working may actually not be so good if you are worried about profits, with productivity at work,” he added.

And although standing desks have won popularity, that might not be the answer.

“I don’t know that there is solid scientific evidence that standing is really better than sitting down,” commented Diaz. “Mine concern is that people have this false impression of who are healthy because they use this table, but maybe not are much better.”

How to move more at work

What Diaz really wants people to understand with this research is that it is possible to obtain sufficient movement.

Moving doesn’t mean leaving the table if this is not in culture of her workplace, said the CNN Dana Santas, body and mind coach for professional athletes.

The most recent research only looked at the effectiveness of walking, but Santas said there are other ways to exercise the muscles regularly.

“You may practice squats getting up and sitting down slowly, then standing up again and repeating this movement several times,” explained Santas via email.

If you have more space, Santas recommends taking a break. to dance.

“Since most songs are an average of 3 minutes, you can dance and offset the negative impact of staying too long seated. As a bonus, dance to your favorite songs it will also improve your mood!”

For people with reduced mobility or who use wheelchairs wheels, there are still affordable ways to stop the sedentary periods.

Everyone should stretch and move their hands in all the directions, said Santas. And a person in a wheelchair you can do stretches, lateral and twisting exercises, added.

“Even when you cannot move your lower body and get up, take deep breaths that work the diaphragm and move the ribs it is beneficial for your posture and health in general”, said Santas.

“The big message is to move in every way possible based on their capabilities,” said Buman.

And it doesn’t have to be a lot of movement, added Diaz. “If you manage to stop theodos sitting with some kind of movement, there will already be some benefit”, he concluded.