Get Up to Get Healthy

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Researchers have long studied the benefits of physical activity. Now they're also focusing on the risks of sitting still.

A study published last year found that more time spent sitting translated to a higher risk of death, regardless of whether people exercised. A recent editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine says that four hours of sitting can lead to harm. We spend more than half their waking hours sitting: in cars, at desks and on couches. Experts recommend frequent breaks, and exercising for brief periods throughout the day.

What Is the Doctor's Reaction?

Regular exercise may not be enough for optimal health. Recent studies suggest that getting up often to move around might be just as important. People who sit for prolonged periods of time appear to have an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions. This may be true even for people who do regular exercise for 30 minutes each day.

In an editorial in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences recommends that public health agencies get out the message -- prolonged sitting is unhealthy.

Clearly your fitness level has a strong relationship to whether you develop conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. The large study of women and men in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study looked at the relationship between risk of death and these six risk factors:

• Low fitness level


• Obesity


• Smoking


• High blood pressure


• High cholesterol level


• Diabetes

A low fitness level had the strongest association with the risk of death. For women, low fitness level is a more significant risk factor for death and chronic diseases compared to men.

It seems logical that being more active during all waking hours will improve your level of fitness.

What Changes Can I Make Now?

You have heard it over and over -- do at least 30 minutes of dedicated exercise most days of the week and be more physically active the rest of the day. Perhaps looking at this in a new way will make you more active -- don't sit still for more than one hour at a time. Of course, you do this all the time. You wouldn't want to get up in the middle of a movie or a play while sitting in a theatre.

Here are some ways to get extra physical activity during the day:

• Take the far away spot - Walking from the farthest corner of the parking lot will burn a few calories. If it's a parking garage, head for the roof and use the stairs.


• Walk to the next stop - If you take a bus or train, don't wait at the nearest stop. Walk to the next one. Or, at the end of your journey, get off a stop early and finish up on foot.


• Get into the swing of it - Swinging your arms when you walk will help you reach the brisk pace of 3 to 4 miles per hour that is the most healthful.


• Walk while you watch - Soccer moms, dads, and grandparents can circle the field several times during a game and not miss a single play.


• Wash and dry the dishes by hand - The drying alone is a mini-workout for the arms.


• Hide that remote - Channel surfing can add hours to screen time. If you have to get up to change the channel, you are more likely to turn it off and maybe do something else that's less sedentary.


• Communicate in person when you can - In the office, get out of your chair, walk down the hallway, and talk to the person.


• Stand up when you're on the phone - Breaking up long periods of sitting has metabolic benefits. Even standing for a minute or two can help.


• Be a stair master - Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator whenever you can. It's good for your legs and knees, and your cardiovascular health will benefit from the little bit of huffing and puffing. Don't overdo. One flight at a time.


• Whatever works - When it comes to physical activity, the ends do justify the means. Find something that gets you moving.

These little bursts of exercise should not replace the time you spend doing moderate intensity exercise. You should still try for workouts of 45 to 60 minutes.

What Can I Expect Looking to the Future?

Over the last 100 years, we have created so many ways to make life easier. However, there are serious side effects from these advances -- unacceptable rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

We need major changes in how we use the wonderful technological advances in ways that don’t compromise our health. It is already starting. Community planners now look at walking and bike paths as a necessity. More will come.