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I read this informative article with interest (BMJ 2015;350:h2961).
Prolonged sitting is common and a serious problem all over the world. Sedentary behavior, which may be defined as sitting, lying down, and expending very little energy, is evidence for a new health risk - that is, cardio-metabolic risk. [1] Sedentary time in adults is associated with adverse health consiquences like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death - as shown in systematic review and meta-analysis [2]. Prolonged sitting can affect every part of the body, and too much sitting is linked to an early death. [3, 4]
The question is how to minimize prolonged sitting and handle sedentary behavior? Breaks in sedentary time - avoiding prolonged uninterrupted periods of sedentary (primarily sitting) time - has beneficial associations with metabolic risk [5]. Trying yoga poses, stretching the hip flexors, sitting on something wobbly, walking during commercials (during TV advertisements ) and alternating between sitting and standing in the work place will help and reduce the health hazards of sitting [4].
The question is how to minimize prolonged sitting and handle sedentary behavior?
I read this informative article with interest (BMJ 2015;350:h2961).
Prolonged sitting is common and a serious problem all over the world. Sedentary behavior, which may be defined as sitting, lying down, and expending very little energy, is evidence for a new health risk - that is, cardio-metabolic risk. [1] Sedentary time in adults is associated with adverse health consiquences like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death - as shown in systematic review and meta-analysis [2]. Prolonged sitting can affect every part of the body, and too much sitting is linked to an early death. [3, 4]
The question is how to minimize prolonged sitting and handle sedentary behavior? Breaks in sedentary time - avoiding prolonged uninterrupted periods of sedentary (primarily sitting) time - has beneficial associations with metabolic risk [5]. Trying yoga poses, stretching the hip flexors, sitting on something wobbly, walking during commercials (during TV advertisements ) and alternating between sitting and standing in the work place will help and reduce the health hazards of sitting [4].
References:
1. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010 Dec; 85(12): 1138–1141.
2. Diabetologia. 2012;55(11):2895-905.
3. http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/too-much-sitting-linked-to-an-early-d...
4. http://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/national/the-health-hazards-of...
5. Diabetes Care. 2008 Apr;31(4):661-6.
Competing interests: No competing interests