Good Question: How Much Should We Sit?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- If you sit all day long, exercise is not enough to undo the damage to your heart.
That is according to a new science advisory from the American Heart Association, which says a sedentary lifestyle is bad for your heart and blood vessels even if you work out.
The average American sat for 26 hours a week fifty years ago. In 2009, that went up to 38 hours as life became more automated.
When a person sits, their heart is not pumping as hard, according to Natalie Ikeman, a physician's assistant with Hennepin County Medical Center's Golden Valley Clinic. Numerous studies have shown a sedentary lifestyle leads to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and death.
Adults, on average, sit between six to eight hours a day. People older than 60 sit even more -- 8.5 hours to 9.6 hours a day.
"That's not how we were created," Ikeman said. "We were created to move our muscles and that's how our ancestors were."
Researchers say there is not enough research right now to give public health recommendations. Instead, they are asking people to "move more and sit less."
But Ikeman says people can set some goals, like getting up from their desks every 20 to 30 minutes for just a few minutes at a time. A walk to the printer or water cooler would suffice.
"You can get up and do other things besides walking," Ikeman said. "You can do arm movements."
She also tells her weight-loss patients to walk stairs or do sit-ups during commercials while they watch television.
Experts say more research on sedentary behavior is necessary.
"Sedentary time is very nebulous. We don't have really good ways of assessing it or understanding the underlying mechanisms," said Dr. Deborah Rohm Young, an author of the AHA advisory. "Is standing better than sitting? Is typing while you sit better than not typing? These are both sedentary behaviors, but we don't know if some movement while being sedentary may be helpful."
AHA researchers also say your short breaks should not be a substitute for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.