The necessity and desire for humans to migrate has been eliminated by technological advancements in recent decades. The majority of people on the planet spend a large portion of their days sitting, whether it is in front of a TV at home or a computer at work. Since the human body is meant to be mobile, prolonged sitting is obviously harmful to our health. This was validated—and then some—by a recent study from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
At the beginning of the trial, 5,856 female participants, ages 63 to 99, were asked to wear an activity monitor on their hip for seven days. Then, for ten years, the researchers monitored them; during that time, 1,733 people passed away.
The amount of time the subjects spent sitting was determined by the researchers using artificial intelligence in their activity monitor, and this information was then connected to their mortality risk. Researchers found that individuals who sat for more than 11 hours per day had a 57% increased chance of passing away throughout the study period compared to those who sat for less than nine and a half hours.
However, frequent exercise will mitigate the negative health effects of excessive sitting, right? Not in line with the UCSD research. Even at increased levels of moderate-to-vigorous exercise, there remained a risk of premature death. A 2019 study also discovered that increased exercise could not completely mitigate the risk of sitting-related illnesses such type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Nonetheless, an Australian study discovered that even among individuals who sat a lot, doing between 9,000 and 10,500 steps per day reduced the risk of dying young.
The fact that activity monitors were worn on the wrist in the Australian study and on the hip in the UCSD study may account for the inconsistent results by causing disparities in the amounts of time spent sitting.
Additionally, the Australian study did not employ any specialized software to determine whether individuals were standing or sitting from the activity monitor data, which means that standing would have been mistakenly identified as sitting. In the event that a subject remained still for thirty minutes, this would be recorded as thirty minutes of sitting. This could indicate that the amount of time the participants in the Australian study spent sitting was overstated.
The UCSD study appears to have superior data, emphasizing the need of reducing sitting time. This is corroborated by current World Health Organization guidelines, which advise adults to break up extended periods of sitting and minimize the amount of time they spend sitting.
What is the Limit on Sitting Hours?
In what sense is too much sitting? 11 hours a day is what the UCSD study states. Even seven hours a day may be too much, according to other research. Numerous studies have also demonstrated that sitting for longer than thirty minutes at a time can raise blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
What steps can you take then to prevent prolonged sitting?
If you work in an office, a sit-stand desk might be useful. Alternatively, you might stand and walk around while working on a task or taking a call. You may stand up while the kettle boils or during TV commercial breaks at home. Additionally, several wearables and smart devices buzz if you sit for an extended period of time.