Apparently too much sitting is bad for your health.
A new study by Columbia University Irving Medical Center said evidence suggests that prolonged sitting has detrimental effects on one's well-being but there is a fix.
Exercise physiologists at Columbia University said a five-minute stroll every 30 minutes can help offset the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
"We set out to figure out what's the bare minimum someone has to do in terms of movement," Keith Diaz, PhD, associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, told Medscape.
Diaz, who led the study, conducted several studies to find the sweet spot in healthy movement. Several scenarios were tested, including assessing the bodies of participants who walked for one minute after every half hour, walked for five minutes after ever 30, and five minutes of walking after every hour.
"If we hadn't compared multiple options and varied the frequency and duration of the exercise, we would have only been able to provide people with our best guess of the optimal routine," Diaz noted.
The study also found that intermittent exercise or walking not only improved health, but boosted mood, fatigue and cognitive function. Diaz said once people realize the benefits of regular intermittent exercise, they will continue to seek those results.
"The effects on mood and fatigue are important," he said. "People tend to repeat behaviors that make them feel good and that are enjoyable."
As many people spend the majority of their days at work, the study also provides some guidance for workplaces to promote more healthy lifestyles. Diaz said prolonged sitting is an occupational hazard that has only gotten worse since the onset of the pandemic.
"What we know now is that for optimal health, you need to move regularly at work, in addition to a daily exercise routine," he said. "While that may sound impractical, our findings show that even small amounts of walking spread through the work day can significantly lower your risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses."
