Sitting: silent killer?

This one may shock you. If you think running three times a week is enough for your health, keep reading.

We all know that being physically active is good for us. And any level is better than nothing. It helps control our weight and blood sugar, it gives us energy, keeps us strong. But did you know that your level of activity could be nullified by how much time you sit? Recent research looked at the effect of sedentary time on mortality. Basically, the effect of sitting time on your health. And they found that the more time people spent sitting, the higher the risks of mortality. Even if you meet the minimum physical activity guidelines.

Their conclusion was as follows:

“These data demonstrate a dose-response association between sitting time and mortality from all causes and cardiovascular disease, independent of leisure time physical activity. In addition to the promotion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and a healthy, physicians should discourage sitting for extended periods.”

KATZMARZYK, et al., Sitting Time and Mortality from All Causes Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 998–1005, 2009.

Your weekly runs are much better than doing nothing. But at the end of the day, the non-sedentary activities play a very important role.

Here is a link to a 9-min You tube video on the importance of non-sedentary activities.

The video is titled, 23 ½ hours. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo