People who wish to live longer must reduce their sitting time and replace it with just 30 minutes of physical activity, according to findings of a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. The results highlight the importance of movement — regardless of its intensity or amount of time spent moving — for better health. Studies indicate that about one in four adults spends more than eight hours a day sitting.
Adults who sat for long stretches at a time — an hour or more without interruption — had a greater risk of early death than those who were sedentary for the same total amount of time but got up and moved around more often. Thus, even short bursts of activity - of just a minute or two — can provide health benefits.
Speaking about this, Dr KK Aggarwal, former national resident of Indian Medical Association said: “Modern and advanced technology has certainly made life easy and convenient for us. Online shopping, online payments and accessing information all of which can be done from the comfort of our homes but at the cost of our health. The benefits of exercise are well-established. But, the level of physical activity among all age groups has decreased. A heavy work schedule is often a deterrent to physical activity for many of us.”
Replacing just 30 minutes of sitting with low-intensity physical activity may lower the risk of early death by 17 per cent. Swapping the same amount of sitting for moderate to vigorous activity would be twice as effective, cutting the risk of early death by 35 per cent.