According to a study by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, extended sedentary behaviour such as sitting for six consecutive hours without exercise can damage cardiorespiratory fitness the same amount that an hour of exercise can benefit it. In fact, any sedentary behavior, such as driving, Internet surfing and reading for over two hours is harmful in terms of fitness levels.
“Previous studies have reported that sedentary behaviour was associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular outcomes,” says Dr. Jarett Berry, assistant professor of internal medicine and clinical science and senior author of the study. “However, the mechanisms through which this occurs are not completely understood.”
The research was done with the help of 2,223 participants of the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), within the ages of 12 and 49 with no history of heart disease, asthma or stroke. Their fitness levels were measured with a treadmill test and taken into consideration.
“When sitting for prolonged periods of time, any movement is good movement, and was also associated with better fitness,” says Dr. Jacquelyn Kulinski, a recent graduate from the UT Southwestern Cardiology Fellowship Training Program and first author of the paper. “So if you are stuck at your desk for a while, shift positions frequently, get up and stretch in the middle of a thought, pace while on a phone call, or even fidget.”
