Too Much Sitting May Harm Health
January 20, 2010 - 12:16pm
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Sitting for extended periods can harm your health, even if you get regular exercise, experts warn.
It may be time to rethink how physical activity is defined in order to emphasize the dangers of sitting, Elin Ekblom-Bak, of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, wrote in an editorial published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the Associated Press reported.
Guidelines currently recommend the minimum amount of physical activity, but don't suggest people limit the time they spend sitting.
"After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals," said Ekblom-Bak, the AP reported. Genes that regulate the amount of glucose and fat in the body start to shut down, she explained.
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So, how about us call centre workers? Cant get up from my desk with a headset glued to my head.
January 20, 2010 - 11:56pmThis Comment
These guys who make bombastic pronouncements based on their so-called research should be punished severely. Consider the anguish they cause. I am 67 years old and I have been sitting at my desk for 4 hours twice a day for the last 35 years. There is nothing wrong with me, touch wood. If you sit 8 hours and use the rest of the time wisely, eat wisely, and go through the motions of life in a normal way, you will be alright. Ignore the guys who make a living out of doing so-called research.
January 21, 2010 - 3:20amBecause of articles like these, Americans are buying treadmills for their offices. I see the benefit in both- sitting allows concentration and exercising while working stimulates blood movement. Everything in moderation!
January 21, 2010 - 5:08pm