It’s no secret that sitting down all day can seriously take its toll on our health. Research shows lack of movement over long periods of time can contribute to diabetes, heart disease and even increase the risk of cancer.
But it’s not all bad news for the 9-5 desk dwellers among us – a certain amount of daily exercise can actually make up for this.
A new sedentary lifestyle study looked at data involving US, Australian and European citizens aged 45 and above who sat for at least eight hours a day and did little to no exercise.
During a follow-up period of two to 18 years, researchers found that these workers had a 9.9 percent chance of mortality. In contrast, those who sat for less than four hours and consistently committed to doing 60 minutes of activity had just a 6.8 percent chance of mortality.
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And while most health experts agree a daily 30minute sweat sesh is enough for our bodies and minds to keep fit, the study’s lead author advises we double this in order to offset the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
“You don’t need to do sport, you don’t need to go to the gym. It’s OK doing some brisk walking maybe in the morning, during lunchtime, after dinner in the evening,” explains Professor Ulf Ekelund in an interview with The Guardian.
“You can split it up over the day, but you need to do at least one hour.”
