Much has been written in the news, the research world, and in my blogs and newsletters about sedentary living and how it impacts morbidity and mortality. There have been credible studies showing that even if you exercise regularly, if you sit more than 8 hours a day, you virtually negate the benefits of all that exercise.
Now a study comes out that looked at the evidence in a new way. It found that those who sit a lot but exercise at least 60 minutes a day can reduce their risk of an early death. It did not specify exactly how hard that exercise had to be or even what kind, leaving open the possibility that gentle or moderate walking, such as short breaks throughout the day, may be useful.
Sit all day? An hour of exercise can cancel out the health risks
So the take home is to eliminate the negative effects of our sedentary living one needs to get 60-75 minutes of exercise a day. To reduce the effects, even accumulated activity helps but not entirely.
Finally, if you spend 5 hours a day watching TV, you have a much higher risk of death within 10 years. So, at least get up and get your own beer during football season!
