The dangers of being sedentary

A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to several negative health effects, including an increased risk of diabetes, dementia, and death from heart disease. One study also found that people who sat for more than 12-13 hours a day had twice the risk of dying early compared to people who sat the least — even if they exercised during the day.

According to the World Health Organization, if people remain this sedentary, almost 500 million people will develop heart disease, obesity, diabetes, or another noncommunicable disease by the end of the decade. This increase will also cost governments $27 billion annually.

"We've known for probably about a decade now that sitting increases your risk for most chronic diseases and increases your risk for early death," said Keith Diaz, an assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. "Just like how much fruits and vegetables they should eat and how much exercise they should do, we need to give (people) specific guidance on how to combat the harms of sitting."

Even small amounts of physical activity help

Currently, CDC recommends all adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every week. This activity can also be broken up into smaller chunks, such as 30 minutes a day, fives time a week. Shorter, more frequent exercise breaks can also be helpful.

According to a study from Diaz and his colleagues, even five minutes of physical activity every half hour could offset the health risks associated with hours of sitting. In the study, researchers recruited volunteers to simulate a typical work day of eight hours of sitting and monitored their blood sugar levels and blood pressure.

During the study, participants took walking breaks on a treadmill that varied in length and frequency. Those who moved for five minutes every half hour saw their blood sugar spikes after a meal decrease by almost 60%.

"I have never seen that kind of a drop in blood sugar, other than with medication," said Robert Sallis, a family medicine doctor at Kaiser Permanente and the past president of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Smaller amounts of movement also provide benefits. According to Diaz, even "activity snacks," like one minute of walking every hour reduced participants' blood pressure by a "sizable amount."

Small movement breaks can also improve people's moods. In a separate study of over 20,000 people, also run by Diaz and his colleagues at Columbia, participants said they were in a better mood on the days they took movement breaks. They reported more positive emotions and felt more energized, reporting an average 25% reduction in fatigue.  

The participants also said they were more engaged with their work and had slight improvements to the quantity and quality of their work on the days they took these breaks.

"Just sitting at your desk and grinding away for 8 hours actually may not be all that great if you're just concerned about the bottom line about your work productivity," Diaz said.

How to get more movement throughout the day

Although making time for frequent movement breaks throughout the day can be difficult, any type of movement can be beneficial, even if you don't leave your desk.

"You can simply practice box squats by getting up and sitting back down gently then popping right back up again and repeating that motion over and over," said Dana Santas, a mind-body coach for professional athletes. She also recommends taking a short dance break if you have the space, which can also boost your mood.

For people with limited mobility or who use wheelchairs, Santas recommends stretching out and moving their hands in all directions. "Even when you can't move your lower body and actually get up from sitting, actively taking deep breaths that use your diaphragm and move your ribs, is beneficial for your posture and overall health," she said.

"The overall message is to move in as many ways that are possible based on your abilities," said Matthew Buman, director of the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University.

Diaz also noted that the bar for movement does not have to be high. "To the extent that you can break up your sitting with some kind of movement breaks, you're still going to yield some benefit," he said. (Aubrey, "Shots," NPR, 1/12; Zomorodi/Diaz, Los Angeles Times, 11/7; Holcombe, CNN, 1/12)

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