Desk workers be warned – sitting for more than three hours per day is responsible for 3.8 percent of all-cause mortality, according to a new study involving 54 countries.
Previous research has linked excessive sitting to a variety of health concerns, including obesity and high blood pressure, but this study is the first to test how excess sitting impacts our mortality. The study looked at an extremely large sample of individuals across 54 countries, and they uncovered that “sitting time was responsible for 3.8% of all-cause mortality (approximately 433,000 deaths in 54 countries worldwide,” the authors stated.
Can Reverse Trend
Despite the concerning trend, researchers said the effects of excessive sitting can be reversed by getting up and exercising. “Even modest reductions, such as a 10% reduction in the mean sitting time or a 30-minute absolute decrease of sitting time per day, could have an instant impact in all-cause mortality (0.6%) in the…evaluated countries. Bolder changes (for instance, 50% decrease or 2 hours fewer) would represent at least three times fewer deaths versus the 10% or 30-minute reduction scenarios.”
They also noted that reducing sitting time to less than 3 hours a day could increase life expectancy by an average of 0.20 years. Moreover, researchers concluded that roughly “14% of all deaths per year (more than 1.5 million deaths in these countries) could be avoided,” if everyone committed to a healthy lifestyle.
Researchers said modern conveniences and labor-saving devices have led individuals to live a more sedentary lifestyle, which is harmful to their overall health. Even though the demand for physical labor has decreased as manufacturing and technology has advanced, we still need to work in physical activity during our free time. Hit the treadmill or head to the gym, and you’ll add more years to your life.