Is sitting killing you?

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One of the biggest issues facing us as a modern society is that our lives revolve around sedentary activities. Driving, lengthy commutes, our office jobs, TV and movies.  Everything is done sitting down.   According to the WHO (World Health Organization) physical inactivity is the 4th leading cause of death globally. 

Prolonged sitting will also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 90%.  Even if we exercise, a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine from researchers in Toronto, says that this sedentary lifestyle will STILL kill us prematurely by increasing our chances of disease.

Sitting May Be the New Smoking

The study analyzed 47 other studies about sedentary behavior and then factored in exercise, but still found that the negative effects from the amount of sitting we do outweigh the benefit we might get from exercise.  More exercise is clearly better, but trying not to sit for the long periods of time is necessary for bigger benefits.  So what happens when we sit and what can we do about it?

As soon as you sit down, the electrical activity in leg muscles shuts off and normal calorie burning drops to 1 calorie per minute.  Additionally, the enzymes that help break down fat drop by 90%.  After 2 hours of sitting your good cholesterol drops 20%.  After 24 hours of sitting and inactivity the effectiveness of your insulin drops 24% and your risk of diabetes increases.  Studies have also said that sitting may be responsible for >170,000 cases of cancer each year.  Statistically, breast and colon cancers have been shown to be the most influenced by physical inactivity.  So the more time people spend sitting, the higher their risk of dying early.   You can think of this as something physicians call “sitting disease”.

Health hazards of “sitting disease”:

  • Organ Damage
    • Heart disease
    • Overprotective pancreas
  • Colon cancer
  • Muscle Degeneration
    • Mushy abs
    • Tight hips
    • Limp glutes
  • Leg Disorders
    • Poor circulation in legs
    • Soft bones
  • Head and Neck Issues
    • Foggy brain
    • Strained neck
    • Sore shoulders and back
  • Bad Back
    • Inflexible spine
    • Disk damage

Most people sit 7-9 hours a day, especially due to the cubicle lifestyle that has become so common in the workforce.  Luckily, the more physical activity you partake in, the lower your risk of certain cancers! Getting your body in motion will also increase insulin sensitivity and reduce body fat, inflammation, metabolic hormones and sex steroid hormones.   Physical activity decreases the risk of chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.  What can you do to try to increase physical activity throughout the day and combat “sitting disease”?

  • Get up from your desk at least once an hour.  Remember that taking breaks are necessary for your health!
  • Strive to work out or walk briskly at least 30 min a day, 5 days/week
  • Try to make little changes:
    • Get off the bus/train one stop early and walk to/from work
    • Park your car in the back of parking lots, away from where you’re headed