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Sure, you’ve heard about the dangers of sitting all day, but with most jobs, there’s not much you can do about it, right?
Not so, according to a new study looking at the effects of sitting for long periods of time.
A study published Thursday in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine found that five minutes of light walking every 30 minutes could reduce the increased risk of sitting for long periods of the day. It’s helpful.
The scientific community has known for decades that sitting can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer, said the study’s lead author. , said Keith Diaz, assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center.
“We’ve known for probably about 10 years that sitting increases the risk of most chronic diseases and increases the risk of premature death.” Behavioral Cardiovascular Health Center. “We need to give[people]specific guidance on how to combat the harm of sitting, like how much fruit and vegetables they should eat and how much exercise they should do.”
Walking is as light as 1.9 miles per hour, which is slower than most people would normally walk, Diaz said. The goal is to break sitting down into little movements.
In this study, several health markers were measured for different combinations of sitting and walking time. Matthew Bmann, director of his Solutions College at Arizona State University in Health, said that although his sample size was small, the study was rigorous with strong methodologies. Buman was not involved in the study,
Scientists still don’t know exactly why sitting is so bad, but a working theory is that muscles are important in regulating things like blood sugar and cholesterol levels. When you’re sitting, your muscles contract and don’t have a chance to function optimally, says Diaz.
Does 5 minutes every 30 minutes still sound like a stretch? Diaz said that it has been shown that.
Also, all participants in this study were generally healthy adults, which means that even greater benefits may be seen in those with chronic conditions, Buman said.
Even with clearer guidelines, moving regularly can still seem unattainable if your office culture doesn’t encourage it.
“There are many of us who have inactive or sedentary lifestyles or who have sedentary jobs,” Diaz said. “There’s a social norm where people think you’re not working when you’re away from your desk.”
Diaz has worked to convince employers of the importance of moving during work hours. She’s not only for her personal health, but also for her bottom line.
“Sitting is an occupational hazard, and healthy employees are more productive employees,” he said.
The team found that participants who stopped sitting had more than just physical health benefits. said Mr.
“If you only care about the end result in terms of work productivity, sitting at your desk and studying for eight hours might not actually be that great,” he added. .
Standing desks are popular, but they may not be the answer.
“I don’t know if there is solid scientific evidence that standing is better than sitting,” Diaz said. “I worry that some people have the false impression that they are healthy because they are using this desk.
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What Diaz really hopes to get out of his research is that enough exercise is achievable.
Dana Santas, CNN fitness contributor and professional athlete mind-body coach, says moving doesn’t have to leave your desk if your work culture doesn’t.
Although the latest research only looked at the effects of walking, Santa said there are other ways to exercise your muscles on a regular basis.
“To practice box squats, simply stand up, sit down, then quickly come back down and repeat the movement over and over.
If you have the chance to have more space, Santa recommends a dance break.
“Most songs average at least three minutes, so you can dance away from the negative effects of sitting too much. Plus, as a bonus, dancing to your favorite tunes will lift your mood!” she said. .
For those with limited mobility or who use a wheelchair, there are still accessible ways to distribute sitting time.
Everyone needs to reach out and move their hands in all directions, said Santa.
“Even if you can’t move your lower body and can’t actually sit and get up, active deep breathing with your diaphragm to move your ribs is beneficial to your posture and overall health,” says Santa. I was.
“The overall message is to move in as many ways as possible based on your abilities,” Buemann said.
Exercise doesn’t have to be a high bar, Diaz added. “As long as you can divide your sitting time with some sort of movement break, you’ll still get some benefit,” he said.
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