Are We Shortening Our Lives by Sitting Too Much?

With COVID-19 keeping everyone inside for longer periods of time, people across the globe are sitting for hours at a time and exercising less. A study recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine looked at how this inactivity is affecting life span and found that those who spent long days without moving much were more likely to die young. Those who moved for as little as 11 minutes a day substantially increased their life span. Brisk walking or moderate physical activity for at least 35 minutes a day was found to be the optimal goal for living a healthy, long life.

A 2016 study that surveyed a million people suggested that 60–70 minutes of exercise is needed per day to maintain good health into old age. Unfortunately, working from home and staying indoors has led to a more sedentary lifestyle for most. Although this may be inevitable, researchers set out to find if there was a way to counteract the effects of prolonged sitting.

Referring back to nine studies of those who sat, on average, 10 hours a day while walking for just two or three minutes daily, researchers used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to see death records of participants. They looked back 10 years to reveal how many had died and found that many had passed away at an early age.

The new study asked 50,000 men and women to wear activity monitors. Based on the new research compared to previous studies, it revealed that how much the participants moved and sat affected longevity. The study concluded that inactivity results in premature death. It found that as little as 11 minutes a day of moderate activity significantly reduces the effects of prolonged sitting while about 35 minutes a day of brisk walking or other moderate activity was the best way to lengthen one’s life.