Article re sitting & health New Scientist 29 June 13: 44-47

HeidiCooksSupper

New Scientist is a British science journal of some repute so what's in the article is based on recent research.

Article by Richard A. Lovett summarizes some of the research findings on sedentary work and sitting for long periods of time.

Summary findings:

You cannot make up for an 8 hour desk job with an hour of vigorous exercise. Those who spend hours at a desk or watching TV, all things being equal, die sooner than counterparts with jobs that require more physical activity. Those who get up and walk around naturally to fidget also live longer than those who sit for hours even if the sitters do a session of vigorous exercise every day.

It is believed the effect is caused by the reduction in insulin spikes from the short bursts of activity. Getting up and moving around for five minutes every hour to burn 16 calories eliminates 4g of glucose from the bloodstream which is thought to be enough to make a difference.

This DOES NOT REPLACE healthy eating or regular vigorous exercise but rather is suggested as something that is good in and of itself for cardiac health and longevity.

Further research is being undertaken and I expect the next issue to New Scientist to have some responses to this one in the letters to the editor. We'll see.

Meanwhile, I guess it can't hurt to get my duff out of this chair and put a load in the washer.

BrianSharpe

There's an article in this month's Runners World (I haven't read it yet) titled "Sitting the New Smoking".....

jmwolffyy

I just started going to the chiropractor and he has been telling me these same things. He has a standing desk and does not sit while he is at work at all. I am trying to convince my workplace to put in the treadmill desks but I don't think it is likely, considering they won't even do adjustable height desks. Keep sharing the research - I will soon be motivated enough to at a minimum set an alarm to get up and move at least once an hour!