Is Sitting Increasing Your Risk of Premature Death?

It goes without saying that when you sit you use less energy. When you use less energy, you burn fewer calories and store more fat around the waist.

But have you considered the negative long-term effects of prolonged periods of sitting?

Studies show that people who sit for extended periods of time, 8 hours a day or more, have an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer.  Studies have also shown that those who sit behind a desk or wheel for prolonged periods of time run the same risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking. Additional risks include blood clots in the lower extremities – otherwise known as deep vein thrombosis, muscle weakness, and musculoskeletal issues in the lower back, hips, and spine.

Even with a formal exercise routine of 30 minutes a day, it matters what you do the other 23.5 hours of the day.  Thirty minutes of formal exercise is not enough to prevent the negative health outcomes of sitting more than 8 hours a day. After this threshold, the negative health risks increase exponentially. 

So, what do I recommend?

MOVE! All movement outside of formal exercise is called NEAT or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. The impact of movement, even leisurely, can have a profound impact on your health. For starters, you’ll burn more calories. This may lead to weight loss and increased energy. In addition, increased movement helps maintain muscle tone, your ability to move and your mental health, especially as you age.

How much should you move?

For every 20 minutes of sitting, try to stand for eight minutes and move around for two minutes.

In studying the benefits of getting up and moving every hour, researchers have seen the following outcomes:

3% reduction in the threat for Type 2 Diabetes

21% reduction in the risk of breast cancer

25% reduction in the threat for colon cancer

27% reduction in the risk for strokes

50% reduction in the danger of high blood pressure

How can you increase your Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis?

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work
• Park the furthest distance from store entrances
• Go for a walk when you are on the telephone
• Get up from your desk for 5-6 minutes every hour and walk around the office or down the halls
• Use a standing desk at work or sit on a balance ball chair
• Tackle housework such as vacuuming, laundry, gardening
• Play with your kids or walk your dog

How do you track NEAT?

There are so many fitness watches on the market that will track your steps during the day. Apple has a watch. Fitbit and Garmin are two excellent brands. Even your iPhone will track your steps in an app called My Fitness Pal. Your daily target should be 8,000 to 10,000 steps. Start out slowly and target 2000 steps a day and build up to 10,000 steps.

NEAT is less taxing on the body when compared to formal exercise. Incorporating NEAT into your day can be a powerful tool in improving fat loss results. In studies two groups were given the same caloric intake. One group practiced NEAT during the study period and were shown to burn more fat. The other group was sedentary and they did not report any fat loss. NEAT is an excellent habit to incorporate into your day to improve health outcomes, burn fat, prevent disease, and increase your longevity.