Most everybody knows that sitting at a desk for a day’s work is not suitable for our health, or whether at home or after commuting to work. However, most people need to learn just how much exercise is required to counteract the adverse effects of sitting at a desk all day to avoid the pitfalls of a sedentary lifestyle while doing what they need to do to earn a living.
Studies have linked the extent of the adverse effects of too much sitting to even more severe consequences than weight gain and poor posture.
One meta-analysis study included nearly 45,000 participants over 4.5–14 years and found a link between sitting more than 10.5 hours per day and a high mortality risk, especially in those with deficient levels of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity. So, for those who sit most of the day and are not currently getting active, this call to action has been shown to lower the risk of premature death.
How much exercise is needed to effectively lower the mortality risk of sitting all day at a desk? Previous research has estimated that up to 70 minutes of exercise per day is required to lower health risks related to spending an extended time sitting. However, a recent study suggests that 30–40 minutes daily should get the job done.
In active individuals doing about 30–40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity, the association between high sedentary time, which is considered over 10.5 hours per day of sitting, and risk of death is not significantly different from those with low amounts of sedentary time, which is considered under 8.5 hours per day of sitting (Ekelund et al, 2020).
In other words, some reasonably intensive activities such as a brisk walk, riding a bike, or working in a garden can effectively lower the life-threatening risks of sitting too much to a level of risk equal to a person who spends very little time sitting. This link is backed by data measured from a study that included thousands of people.
Meta-analyses like this study often amass information from multiple studies with diverse participant populations and conditions. This study is uniquely reliable because it depended on relatively objective data from wearable activity monitors, so researchers could use technology instead of the participants’ self-reporting.
It’s imperative to know and share this information now more than ever because many people have increased their time sitting since 2020. Also, work-from-home and remote jobs are more prevalent than ever, and it looks like that will remain the same for a while.
It’s important to not have an all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to achieving the recommended exercise to counteract sitting. Any moderate-to-vigorous intense physical activity is excellent and protects overall health and reduces health risks. Additionally, the burden of carving out a 30–40 minute block for physical activity daily is unnecessary.
Evidence suggests that any amount of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, when accrued, can be beneficial so that several methods can be utilized to achieve the goal amount of exercise. For those who can periodically take a short break, incorporating a quick burst of activity can add up and lower health risks associated with sitting.
It’s important to start small with the time spent and activities that are already part of a typical workday. Here are some options:
Taking the stairs instead of an elevator can add strength to the hips and one’s physical core when done consistently over time. Set a goal to take at least three flights of stairs when entering and exiting a work and home building. The time spent stepping up and down stairs adds to the total physical activity spent during the day, decreasing the time needed to complete a 30–40 minute exercise period by the end of the workday.
Parking further away from entrance doors and carrying a bag in one hand instead of using shoulder straps, while mimicking Superman’s posture by lifting the chin and chest, pulling the shoulder blades tightly together, and tightening the abdominal muscles.
This functional walking exercise can be done carrying any object that can be safely held and walked with while holding it in one hand and switching the bag to the other hand halfway to one’s destination. Doing this exercise over time can strengthen and tone one’s core and arm muscles and count toward the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity needed to counteract hours of sitting.
The good news for some people is that the amount of exercise required to lower health risks is significantly less, depending on how much someone spends sitting. The Ekelund study found that just two hours less of sitting is the difference between needing to do 11 minutes as opposed to 30–40 minutes of exercise. For those participants in the study who sat 8.5 hours or less, as little as 11 minutes of exercise was required to reduce the risk of death.
The Ekelund study did not account for how much time people spent standing throughout the day since activity monitors cannot tell if someone is sitting or standing. Currently, researchers need to clarify whether standing counteracts the health risks of sitting. Nevertheless, additional research can inform the World Health Organization and other public health authorities as they develop future recommendations for physical activity and sedentary time.
As more studies examine the question of “How much physical activity is needed to lower health risks related to sitting for long periods each day?” more specific information needs to be assessed that could provide general recommendations by age group and other factors. It’s been proven, however, that movement mitigates the health issues related to too much sitting, and now, with clear guidelines on exactly how much, the target of increased health and well-being is more visible and attainable. ●
