Spotlight On: Sitting Disease

A simple New Year’s resolution

For many of us, sitting is a way of life. We sit to work, sit to relax at home and sit to catch up with friends. All this sitting is leading to what researchers have termed “sitting disease” and its effects can be harmful.

Cindy Parnell, exercise physiologist with the Club Red Clinic, explains sitting disease and how a simple new year’s resolution (standing up more) can benefit our health.

What is sitting disease?

Sitting disease is a term used to describe any number of health problems that arise from a lack of physical activity. Sitting too much can cause the obvious: obesity, poor posture and chronic back pain as well as the not so obvious: heart disease and diabetes. When you are inactive for an extended period of time your metabolism slows and the level of enzymes responsible for breaking down triglycerides in the blood can fall by as much as 50 percent. On the other hand, blood sugar levels remain high because your body doesn’t require as much fuel.

Will a regular workout routine combat the effects of sitting all day?

Surprisingly, researchers have found that a 30-minute workout routine might not be enough to reverse the effects of sitting for eight or more hours per day. A study conducted in Australia found that participants who took more breaks throughout the day had better health outcomes than participants who were more sedentary regardless of how “fit” the person was. Moving throughout the day keeps your metabolism running at a higher rate more consistently and prevents your body from going into conservation mode.

How can I get more physical activity during the day?

Physical activity doesn’t have to be planned and doesn’t require a gym outfit. Movement known as NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) describes our activities throughout the day that are not on the treadmill. A study conducted at the Mayo Clinic found that among people who were not regulars at the gym, the trimmer participants moved an average of 150 minutes more per day than their overweight counterparts. That translates to burning an additional 350 calories per day. Keep that up for 10 days and you could lose up to a pound without breaking a sweat.

What are some examples of NEAT activities?

The idea behind NEAT is to move more and sit less. That could mean walking to get your lunch, balancing on an exercise ball while watching TV or simply standing up while you’re waiting for an appointment. Anytime you can replace sitting with moving, your body benefits by being engaged and active.

For more ideas on how to increase your daily movement, read our fitness article this month which shows you how small changes like these can add up to heart-healthy rewards. And as you’re thinking about your New Year’s Resolution, keep it simple and stand up.

Source: IDEA Fitness Journal, October 2009