Sedentary Lifestyle Can Harm Heart Health

You constantly hear how a sedentary lifestyle is harmful to your health and heart health in particular, but what does this mean for you?

A sedentary lifestyle is one which a person sits down for long periods of time daily and gets little to no exercise – think working an office job 9-5 and not even getting up for lunch, only for bathroom breaks. A sedentary lifestyle has been an increasing issue throughout the years and can lead to many health issues.

My question to you… Are all forms of being sedentary the same? Let’s look into a recent study that addresses this together.

Is all sedentariness (yes, this is a real word) the same?

Researchers at Columbia University wanted to look at different types of “sedentariness” and how it affects an individual. Researchers studied African Americans to fill the gap with prior research that has primarily focused on white Europeans. Participants included 3,592 individuals that lived in Jackson, Mississippi. They believe that the findings of the study apply to everyone, regardless of the ethnicity focused on in this study.

The sedentary behavior and physical activity was assessed using the JHS Physical Activity Cohort Survey that consisted of 30 questions assessing physical activity over the past 12 months. Leisure time was also assessed by questions inquiring about the yearly frequency and participation in exercise.

Results

Overall, the findings were that there IS a difference between occupational sitting, meaning sitting at work and leisure time sitting (a.k.a. hanging around the house sitting on the couch vegging out).

Researches found that participants who reported sitting and watching TV for 4 or more hours every day had a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared to individuals who watched TV for 2 hours or less a day. They also found participants with longer daily viewing time to have similar characteristics: poor leisure time, annual income <$50,000, heavy alcohol consumption, smoker, unhealthy diet, and hypertension.

HOWEVER, researchers also found that individuals who watch TV for 4 or more hours a day, but also engage in 150 minutes or more of exercise a week did not have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Thus, the significance and benefits of physical activity can be seen here

Research Take Aways

Now that you know all sedentariness are not equal – how does this impact you?

When you are not at work, it’s important to get yourself active! The American Heart Association recommends adults you get 150 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. What does that mean for each day? Aim for 30 minutes a day, five times a week.

Do you find 30-minutes a day hard to fit into your daily routine? Split up your time into segments of 10-15 minutes, two-three times a day. You will still experience benefits and it may work better for you!

Health benefits of 30 minutes of daily walking:

Reduce your risk of coronary heart disease
Improve your blood pressure, blood sugar level and blood lipid profile
Maintain your body weight and lower the risk of obesity
Enhance your mental well-being
Reduce your risk of osteoporosis and Type 2 Diabetes

If you are new to exercise, don’t feel like you have to go all out – just get walking! Once you spend a few weeks walking, you’ll find you may be ready for more!

Your Turn to Take Action: Challenge yourself to get moving! Aim for 30 minutes a day. You up for the challenge? Let me know below!