Reducing Sitting Time Can Help Prevent Coronary Heart Disease

Illustration of preventing heart disease by reducing sitting time (Unsplash/Juan Ordonez)

YOGYAKARTA – Sitting is the most comfortable position when working. Apart from working, sitting is also the position of the body when watching television or chatting with colleagues, relatives, and family. If any activity is done while sitting, it is risky for your heart health.

A study published on the British Heart Foundation website, conducted by researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of Hong Kong, found that 11 percent of cases of coronary heart disease could be prevented by cutting down on sitting time watching television.

In the UK, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death. About 64,000 deaths each year are caused by the disease. Based on data, one in eight men and one in 15 women die from this disease. While coronary heart disease is a disease whose main factor is not being physically active.

Researchers used data from the UK Biobank of 500.000 adults to investigate the amount of time sitting a day watching television, computer use, leisure time, individual DNA, and risk of coronary heart disease. A score is made for each individual based on the genetic risk that affects the chance of experiencing the risk of this disease. As expected, individuals with higher risk scores were at greater risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Illustration of preventing heart disease by reducing sitting time (Unsplash/Bermix Studio)

The risk, in the study, was related to a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle. People who watch more than four hours of television per day have a greater risk of coronary heart disease, regardless of their genetic risk score. Meanwhile, people who sat watching TV for 2-3 hours a day had a 6 percent lower rate of disease progression. While people who sat watching TV only an hour a day, the risk rate was 16 percent lower.

Chloe Mac Arthur, a senior cardiac nurse, says that some people watch television while sitting. And a sedentary or sedentary lifestyle can lead to problems later in life, including an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

In addition to cutting time sitting, it is recommended to do 150 minutes of exercise every week. This should be done to help reduce the risk of heart and circulatory disease. So, do you often binge-watch a film series in a sitting position and don't exercise regularly? Change these bad habits to get overall health.