Sitting for more than 10.5 hours daily increases the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular mortality. This is closely linked to health issues such as reduced blood flow, fat accumulation, and insulin resistance; even those who exercise regularly are not exempt.
LONDON, UK (Merxwire) – How long do you sit daily? Your health is important to us. According to statistics, most people sit an average of 9 to 10 hours per day due to work requirements. However, prolonged sitting may pose hidden health risks. Recent studies show that sitting for long periods can severely damage heart health and even increase the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which analyzed data from over 89,000 participants, revealed a deep connection between sedentary behaviour and cardiovascular health. The study found that sitting for more than 10.5 hours daily significantly increases the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular mortality, even for those who exercise regularly.
Researchers used wrist-worn accelerometers to collect participants’ activity data and tracked their heart health for up to 8 years. The results showed that sitting for over 10.6 hours a day dramatically increases the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular mortality, suggesting a “threshold” for risk associated with prolonged sitting. Even with the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week, long periods of sitting still significantly increase health risks.
Multiple studies have documented the negative impact of sitting on heart health. Prolonged sitting slows blood circulation, causing fatty acids to accumulate in blood vessels, which increases the risk of arteriosclerosis and heart disease. Additionally, sitting reduces the activity of lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that helps dissolve fat. When its activity decreases by 90%, fat tends to accumulate, further impairing metabolism. Sedentary behaviour is also directly associated with insulin resistance, which is a significant contributor to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Experts recommend reducing sitting time to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is best to keep sitting time to under 10.6 hours a day. Replacing 30 minutes of sitting with any form of physical activity can significantly reduce heart health risks. Increasing moderate to vigorous activity can reduce the risk of heart failure by 15% and cardiovascular mortality by 10%. Even light activity can reduce the risk of heart failure by 6% and cardiovascular mortality by 9%. The study also indicates that wearable accelerometers show that, compared to self-reports, people overestimate their physical activity while underestimating their sitting time.
Therefore, experts suggest standing up and moving every hour, even walking for a few minutes or stretching. These small activities effectively reduce the negative impact of prolonged sitting. Additionally, trying standing desks, walking meetings, or using smartphone pedometer functions to set a goal of 10,000 steps a day can help establish regular exercise.
