JAKARTA - Sitting for a long time is never considered healthy, but many people rely on their exercise to neutralize the negative effects of sitting all day. However, recent research challenges the common assumption that regular exercise is the perfect antidote.
A study recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that doing the recommended amount of moderate to vigorous exercise each week is likely not enough to neutralize all the cardiovascular risks of being too sedentary. Of course, there are limits to what you can do if you have a desk job, so this health issue gets pretty complicated.
For the study, researchers analyzed one week's worth of data from activity trackers belonging to more than 89,500 people participating in the U.K. Biobank, a long-term health study. The study assessed how many hours people sat each day and how much moderate to vigorous physical activity they did, then followed them for up to a decade.
The researchers then analyzed the relationship between the length of time sitting in a week with the future risk of experiencing atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), heart attack, heart failure, and death from cardiovascular disease.
After analyzing the data, researchers found that people who sit more have a higher risk of experiencing all of these cardiovascular problems. In fact, those who sit more than 10.6 hours per day (excluding sleep time) have up to 60 percent higher risk of heart failure or dying from cardiovascular disease.
The study also found that the risk of atrial fibrillation and heart attacks could largely be reduced if people who sit a lot keep moderate to vigorous physical activity for 150 minutes or more per week. However, meeting this exercise target only partially reduces the risk of heart failure and death from cardiovascular disease.
As a result, adding standing and moving time outside of exercise time to break up long periods of sitting seems to be very important.
This is not the first study to link sitting for hours each day with serious health problems. Sitting for too long has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and several types of cancer in various studies.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that people reduce sitting time to maintain heart health. The reason, as explained by Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar, a cardiologist and medical director of the Heart Rehabilitation Center at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
"Lack of movement slows circulation, weakens the heart muscle, and contributes to weight gain, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance," he said, quoted from the Women's Health website.
Sitting for too long can also increase the risk of inflammation in the body, which is related to various serious diseases. Even people who are very active are not completely safe.
"Those who exercise can still be at risk if most of their day is spent sitting," said Dr. Tadwalkar.
How to Change Daily Routines to Reduce Sitting Impact
Simply watch the time and reduce the sitting time as much as possible every day.
"Limiting sitting time to less than 10.6 hours per day can be a practical basic step to improve heart health," said Dr. Ragavendra Baliga, a cardiologist and professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
However, you don't need to panic if you have a sedentary job. Doctors emphasize the importance of being aware of how much you move throughout the day. If it's still not enough, try to be more active whenever possible.
"Being active is one of the most important things people can do, both those with heart disease and those at risk for improving heart health," added Dr. Christopher Berg, a cardiologist at the MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
He suggests having a regular exercise plan and trying to achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. If you are not used to it, start with small goals and increase gradually. In addition, it is also important to add small movements throughout the day. Here are some simple but effective suggestions.
- Try to use the stairs
- Take a short walk at the office or home when you have time.
- Choose a longer route when going to the bathroom.
- Use a standing desk
- Park further to add steps
- Stand up and walk when you receive a phone call.
- Insert small exercises such as squats or jumping jacks
- Take advantage of the time before / after work to stand more
- Consider using a fitness tracker to monitor activity
"All of these are small and easy actions that can be taken to improve health," said Dr. Berg.
If you have a family history of heart disease or are worried about your risk, you should consult a medical professional. They can evaluate and provide advice that is appropriate for your condition.
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