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Americans might live a little longer if they cut back on the amount of time they spend sitting down, a new study says.
Reducing the daily average time that people spend sitting to less than three hours would increase the U.S. life expectancy by two years, the study found. And reducing the time spent watching TV to less than 2 hours daily would increase life expectancy by 1.4 years.
The study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that sitting itself is deadly. While previous studies have looked at the health risks to the individual, the new study examines the risk of sitting for the whole population, said study researcher Peter Katzmarzyk, of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La.
The research "elevates sedentary behavior as an important risk factor, similar to smoking and obesity," Katzmarzyk said.
Other studies have found our culture of sitting may be responsible for about 173,000 cases of cancer each year.
Because U.S. adults spend, on average, between 4.5 and five hours a day sitting down, a significant shift in the population's behavior would be needed to have an effect on life expectancy, Katzmarzyk said. This might be achieved through changes at the workplace, such as the use of standing desks, and by watching less TV, he said.
Katzmarzyk and colleagues analyzed information from five earlier studies involving more than 167,000 adults that looked at the link between sitting and risk of dying from any cause over the next four to 14 years. The researchers also collected information from U.S. surveys conducted during 2005-2006 and 2009-2010, to calculate the amount of time Americans spent watching TV and sitting down daily.
About 27 percent of deaths in the studies could be attributed to sitting, and 19 percent to television viewing, the researchers said.
The study adds to the evidence suggesting that "in addition to being concerned about physical activity behaviors, we need to be concerned also about sedentary behaviors," said Mark Tremblay, a director of research at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, who was not involved in the study.
Because so many people sit for prolonged periods, the effect on the overall population is substantial, Tremblay said.
The researchers noted their study assumed a cause-effect link between sedentary behavior and risk of dying, which further research should validate, they said. In addition, the study relied on participants' own reports of sitting and TV watching time, which may not be entirely accurate.
The study is published online Monday in the journal BMJ Open.
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4.5 to 5 hours a day sounds very low. I went to a stand up desk several months back and really became aware of how much time we really do spend sitting in the course of a normal day. It was killing my back and I was so tired at the end of the day, and now I feel great, have more energy, and have even lost a few pounds without trying. (you burn somewhere around 300 calories a day just by standing instead of sitting). It's a bit hard on the feet, though, but good shoes and a standing workplace mat ($10-$15) take care of that.
So, I was spending at least 6 hours a day and sometimes more sitting at work. Add the 30 minute commute each way in the car, and sitting while eating, reading, or watching TV and that was more like 10 hours at bare minimum and could easily be up to 15.
I now do most of my reading standing at the island counter in my kitchen. I don't watch a lot of TV, since I have several hobbies that I'd rather devote the time to but when I do watch TV, I get up at most breaks since I'm just not used to sitting for extended periods anymore.
Sitting is the most passive activity you can do other than sleeping. It weakens your leg and lower back muscles and puts constant pressure on your spine. The weight on your spine would be OK if people sat up with good posture to balance it, but most people slouch especially when sitting for hours. A lot of back pain and weekend injuries could probably be avoided if people were less sedentary at work.
I also found that I always wanted snacks when I sat for long periods, probably out of boredom. Standing, I go the whole morning and afternoon skipping snacks completely and never missing them.
I second the comment by Mike. After several years of driving and sitting, I developed intense hip pain despite swimming 2 miles each morning. I knew my body was getting weak, even though I wasn't close to being fat.
Seven months ago I made the switch to a standing work station with a treadmill and haven't looked back. I've lost weight that I didn't intend (I'm thin anyway), and I'm far more efficient while working. I still swim three times a week. I feel better and I'm in better shape.
When my cardiologist told me that by limiting consumption of animal products and sugars I would live longer, I didn't ask him for reams of data or question his motivations. Following his advice, my hypertension disappeared and my cholesterol dropped dramatically...all without the use of drug.
Intuitively, I know that moving isn't good for you. When studies came out showing that despite swimming two miles a day, the other 9 hours I spent sitting would lead to long term issues...I didn't challenge it. I knew how I felt when I had a more active job. I hedging my bet...I'm not trying to live longer so much as improve my chances for a good quality of life when I'm older. In a certain sense, it's why I also save for retirement.
For those skeptics interested in hearing from others who made the switch, check out
I'm wondering the same thing as Kaybeetoys... is it really possible for anyone to regularly sit much less than two to three hours a day? I, like many, have a desk job and I get up and move frequently during the day. I do moderate aerobic exercise most everyday for 45-60 minutes. I play with my animals and garden. Even if I often watched TV, worked on my computer and read standing up, I would still be sitting for meals and some needed rest. Really? Sit for only two or three hours a day?
And you'll have to spend those two years resting from all the standing you did.
Miss episodes of World's Worst Tenants just to live to be 88 instead of 86?
So was money actually spent on this idiotic study? News flash, everything kills you eventually.
I'm going to spend my extra 2 years of life sitting on some chair watching TV, how is that for a change?
Really? Someone needed to do a study on this? It's not like we didn't know sedentary behavior is less healthy.
So, if I don't sit more than 3 hours a day, I get to live 2 years longer? Really? The years at the end of my life when I am crapping my pants and don't know what day it is? No thanks....now pass the remote and the cheeto's!!!
Don't let Obama see this article or sitting more than 2 hours a day will become illegal since it might afffect our need for healthcare. "Common Good" = The death of personal choice.
“The researchers noted their study assumed a cause-effect link between sedentary behavior and risk of dying, which further research should validate, they said.”
I thought the scientific method required the researcher to draw conclusions based on observations. So the cause-effect link, if applies, should be established based on the results of the study, and not the study based on an assumed cause-effect relationship.
“In addition, the study relied on participants' own reports of sitting and TV watching time, which may not be entirely accurate.”
Right: the participants reported “on average, between 4.5 and five hours a day sitting down” which is unlikely, unless all of them had occupations that demand standing on the job.
well i'm doomed
Another study I can't follow considering I SIT at a monitoring desk 8 hours a night.
What's the big advantage in living 2 years longer? So you can pay more taxes? Or work an extra 2 years?
Retirement is a joke except for the 1%.
If I just watch a lot of stand-up comedians on tv, would that count? -;)
"Would everyone now please rise and remove your hats for the National Anthem?
Then remain standing for the entire ballgame!"
The thing you have to remember about these studies is that they show correlation, not cause. If a study shows that children with larger shoe sizes have better reading skills. therefore reading makes your feet grow, is obviously wrong and ignores the third factor of age. All you have here is an example of a correlation and an explanation that sounds right (an educated guess), so its assumed to be true without any evidence other than the correlation. It is amazing how much health advice is based on perceived correlation rather than scientific evidence. Two years is statistically insignificant, there are simply too many other factors effecting life expectancy.
What a stupid article! If I have to sit on my butt all day it is because of my stupid job. Can I sue my employer for those two years of my life that I lost? No! So who freakin cares??? Next thing you know they are going to be telling us that it is unhealthy to smoke cigarettes or eat at McDonald's every meal of the day. At least those things I can help. This article just makes me hate my job even more even though it was already common knowledge that it is unhealthy to sit around on your butt all day. This article makes me think of what I use a toilet for when I sit down!
I just got a shelf you can put on your desk. It's made of wood, is simple to use and minimalistic looking & affordable compared to replacing my desk. It's called a Staand Up Desk. Got it here www.staandupdesk.com. It's lightweight so its easy to transition to sitting and standing throughout the day. I had really bad hip pain from sitting all the time & standing part time throughout the day has helped immensely.