Hi Readers,
Everyone knows that sitting too much and being a couch
potato is generally not good for health, right?
Well, the term, “couch potato” brings to mind an overweight, lazy person
on the sofa eating fatty snacks and watching television. However, scientists conducted a study and
found that people who sit most of the day have an increased risk of developing
heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and shortened lifespans. Published in the peer-reviewed scholarly
journal, Annals of Internal Medicine,
researcher Aviroop Biswas and his research team reviewed 47 health studies [a
meta-analysis] and found that people who sit most of the day are 24% more likely to die from these conditions compared to their
counterparts who are more active during the day even when they exercise an
hour or more daily! An hour of exercise daily does not mitigate all of that
sitting.
So what is “sitting too much?” Biswas defined it as sitting from 8-12 hours
daily. That places a person at great
risk and his team recommended that sitting should be limited to 4-5 hours maximum per day. People who sit at a
computer/desk all day and professional drivers may be at the greatest risk because their occupation requires sitting. The
researchers found that sitting compresses vital organs and impacts metabolism
negatively. It may result in leg
disorders from poor circulation, muscle degeneration, organ damage, spinal
damage, soft bones, diabetes, and cancer.
What is a virtual professor to do?
The experts suggest reducing time spent sitting by watching
television standing up, taking walks or walk around, and gradually reduce
sedentary sitting time each day. Currently,
I wear a Jawbone UP that reminds me to get up and move every hour. I may have to invest in one of those standing
desks!
See attached diagram of sitting hazards with suggestions for
how to sit when you must sit. AgeDoc
References:
Berkowitz, B., & Clark, P. (2014, January 20). The health hazards of sitting. Don’t just sit there! Poster. Washington Post online.
Biswas, A., Oh, P.I., Faulkner, G.E., Bajaj, R.R., Silver,
M.A., Mitchell, M.S., Atler, D.A. (2015).
Sedentary time and its association with risk for disease incidence,
mortality, and hospitalization in adults.
Annals of Internal Medicine, 162(2),
123-132.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of
Health. (2015, January 19). Too much sitting can be deadly- even if you
exercise, review finds. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_150482.html
