How many hours of sitting a day can cause serious health problems?
Can prolonged sitting be almost as dangerous as smoking?
According to a survey conducted over the years, the answer to this is - yes, almost.
So how many hours of sitting endanger you?
Walla!
health
26/06/2022
Sunday, 26 June 2022, 07:44 Updated: 07:51
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We have no more power.
We will wait on the couch until the rage passes (Photo: Paul, Yoav Dodkevitz)
The world outside is going crazy again - heat records are breaking in the world, the corona is back and with it the elections - so it does not surprise us that many prefer to spend time on the couch at home even after a full day of sitting at work.
Still, quite a few studies have already shown the detrimental health effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
But how many hours of sitting is it already too much?
A recent survey of more than 100,000 people living in 21 different countries showed that people who spend six to eight hours a day sitting were at an increased risk of 12 to 13 percent for premature death and heart disease.
People who sat for more than eight hours a day were at a 20 percent higher risk.
In collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences of Beijing, Canadian research editors, whose article was published in JAMA Cardiology, followed these individuals for an average of 11 years.
Along the way, the team found a clear link between excessive sitting time and heart disease and mortality risk.
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To the full article
While researchers admit that sitting is a health problem in all countries, it is especially problematic in low-income and low-income countries.
"The overall message here is to minimize the time you sit," says Professor Scott Lear, research author and health science expert at Simon Fraser University, "if you have to sit down, more exercise at other times of the day will offset that risk."
The study suggests that the risk increases gradually as a person sits more often.
The least active people who sat the most exhibited the highest risk levels - up to 50 percent.
In contrast, the most active participants enjoyed the lowest risk profiles (17 percent).
Getting up from the chair is a great start.
From the Department of Gardens and Landscape (Photo: Giphy)
"For those who sit for more than four hours a day, replacing half an hour of sitting with exercise has reduced the risk by two percent," explains Prof Lear.
Regarding the stronger relationship in lower-income countries, the study authors argue that sitting all day in higher-income countries is generally associated with better-paid jobs and higher socio-economic status.
More money and higher status means more resources to deal with personal health issues or allocate time for regular exercise.
In conclusion, the researchers emphasize the importance of maintaining activity.
"Our study found that a combination of sitting and inactivity accounted for 8.8 percent of all deaths, which is close to the contribution of smoking (10.6 percent in this study). It's a global problem that has an incredibly simple solution. Getting up from a chair is a great start," concludes Prof. Lear.
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