Get Off Your Bum! Sitting Too Much Increases Odds of Dying

Posted by: web_admin Posted date: April 06, 2012 In: Employee Wellness | Comments: 1

Caution! This machine is a killer!

Just because you exercise at the gym and eat a healthy diet, don’t get complacent about your health if you have a job that requires you to sit all day.

The results of a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine show that people who sit a lot may be up to 40 percent more likely to die compared to those who don’t sit as much.

The study tracked 222,500 Australian adults for three years. The study showed that people’s odds of dying correlated with how much time they sat. Compared to people who sat less than four hours a day, the odds of dying were:

15 percent greater for people who sat for at least eight hours;
40 percent greater for people for sat for 11 or more hours a day.

Researchers aren’t sure why sitting is so bad for us, but exercise and movement have a positive effect on blood fats called triglycerides and other heart risks, and it improves blood pressure.

It’s important to build movement into your day, even if you have a sedentary office job. In the morning, park further from the office, to force yourself to walk more. Take the steps rather than the elevator. Use part of your lunch hour to take a walk.

During the day, find a reason to get up at least five minutes every hour – go to the restroom, get some water, or return a phone call or email in person instead of using technology. It’s good to get some face time and it’s also good exercise. Every little bit helps.

Then in your off time, don’t forget that you still need to get a 30-minute cardio workout at least three to five times a week, and weight-bearing exercise at least twice a week. Find something that you enjoy! You’re much more likely to sustain the exercise if you’re having fun.

So get out of that chair and move it!