January 25, 2024
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People who sit for long periods of time while working may have an increased risk of dying from heart disease, according to a new study. To reduce this risk, researchers say they need to add 15-30 minutes of exercise into each day.
Sitting for prolonged periods of time can negatively impact one's health – a long-known effect reinforced by new research. But there are ways to combat its adverse health impacts.
People who mostly sit at work were 16% more likely to die of any cause – and 34% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease – than those who mostly are on their feet at work, according to a study published last week.
People who sit a lot at work need an additional 15 to 30 minutes of physical activity per day to reduce their risk of death to the level of people who are on their feet, the researchers found.
"These findings suggest that reducing prolonged sitting in the workplace and/or increasing the volume or intensity of daily physical activity may be beneficial in mitigating the elevated risks of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease associated with prolonged occupational sitting," the study authors wrote.
The study followed more than 480,000 people in Taiwan for an average of 13 years. Researchers collected data on the amount of time they sat at work and the amount of physical activity they got in their free time. They also tracked lifestyle and metabolic parameters such as body weight, weight gain and food and water intake.
In 2020, for the first time, the World Health Organization recommended people reduce sedentary behaviors to avoid associated adverse health consequences in its guidelines on physical activity.
Being sedentary for prolonged periods increases the risk of heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, depression, dementia and cancer, according to Yale Medicine.
When people sit, the largest muscles in the body – located in the legs – barely contract. Since the muscles are inactive, they require minimal fuel and therefore take in smaller amounts of sugar from the bloodstream. They also do not release biochemical substances that usually help break down fatty acids in the blood. This leads to blood sugar and cholesterol build up in the bloodstream.
But there are small actions people can take to fight back against the negative effects of sitting at their desks.
People who sit for long periods at work can combat the negative effects by finding ways to get in some movement intermittently, the researchers noted.
One way to do this is through so-called "exercise snacks" – getting up every 30 to 60 minutes to take a brief walk, stretch, do a few planks or jumping jacks or even complete a few breathing exercises.
These snacks – which gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic – have been shown to offer health benefits. A study published last May found that people who engaged in light activities — such as a slow walk on the treadmill — for 5 minutes every half hour had a nearly 60% reduction in blood sugar spikes after their meals. Those who exercised for 1 minute every 30 minutes had a drop in blood pressure.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. For someone who works out five days a week, this amounts to about 30 minutes each day. But any physical activity is better than none, the CDC says.
No matter what method of movement office workers choose, opting for more physical activity and decreasing sedentary periods can help prevent serious medical conditions and possibly prolong their lives.
"Imagine if there were a medication that could reduce your chance of dying from heart disease significantly. It would be very popular," Leana Wen, an emergency physician and adjunct associate professor at George Washington University, told CNN. "Or the other way around — what if there was a lifestyle habit that increased people's chance of dying from a heart attack or stroke? People would do a lot to change that habit, as they should when they sit for prolonged periods at work."
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