A new study offers a crucial insight into the dangers of excessive sitting: even if you exercise regularly, spending more than 10.6 hours a day sitting or lying down may still increase your risk of serious heart issues. This research underscores the complex relationship between sedentary behavior and the health benefits of physical activity.
Led by a team from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the study suggests that health guidelines should address not only the minimum recommended exercise time but also the maximum amount of time people should spend sitting each day. Cardiologist Shaan Khurshid, from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Broad Institute, emphasized, “Our findings support cutting back on sedentary time to reduce cardiovascular risk, with 10.6 hours a day marking a potentially key threshold tied to higher heart failure and cardiovascular mortality.”
The study analyzed data from 89,530 participants, with an average age of 62, who wore fitness trackers for a week. This data was cross-referenced with their health outcomes over an average of eight years. The findings revealed that the median amount of sedentary time was 9.4 hours per day, but those who sat for 10.6 hours or more faced significantly higher risks: a 40% increased risk of heart failure and a 54% greater likelihood of dying from cardiovascular issues compared to those who sat less.
Interestingly, the study found that individuals who did not regularly exercise faced the highest health risks from prolonged sitting. However, even those who met the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each week were not immune to the adverse effects of sitting for extended periods. Those who spent over 10.6 hours a day sitting, despite adhering to exercise guidelines, had a 15% higher risk of heart failure and a 33% higher risk of cardiovascular death compared to those with less sedentary time.
While previous studies have suggested that exercise might offset the harmful effects of sitting, this new research highlights that physical activity may not fully counteract the health risks associated with prolonged sedentary behavior. The study’s large sample size, use of fitness trackers, and machine learning analysis are key strengths, as they reduce reliance on self-reported data, which often underestimates the amount of time spent sitting.
Though this study doesn’t establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between sitting and heart disease, the evidence strongly suggests a link. Khurshid advocates for future public health guidelines to focus on reducing sedentary time, noting, “Avoiding more than 10.6 hours per day may be a realistic minimal target for better heart health.”
Ultimately, while exercise remains essential for maintaining cardiovascular health, balancing activity with mindful reductions in sitting time is equally important for overall well-being.
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