It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard that sitting for long periods can lead to premature death. A team of researchers from the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo has determined how much and what type of exercise is needed to counteract the negative health effects of prolonged sitting.
It turns out that to offset the harm caused by sitting for 8 to 10 hours a day, just 30 to 40 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise is sufficient. However, the researchers emphasized that any amount of exercise or even just standing is better than doing nothing at all.
How Did the Scientists Discover This?
These findings are based on a meta-analysis of data from nine previous studies involving 44,370 volunteers from four different countries. All participants wore fitness trackers during the experiments.
The results showed that the risk of premature death among sedentary individuals increased as the time spent on moderate to high-intensity physical activity decreased.
In their report, the researchers noted that active individuals who engaged in moderate to high-intensity exercise for 30 to 40 minutes a day had the same low risk of premature death as those who did not lead a sedentary lifestyle.
In other words, performing some moderately intense exercises, such as cycling, brisk walking, gardening, can reduce the risk of early death to levels comparable to those of individuals who are regularly active.
While meta-analyses like this one require careful consideration of many variables, the strength of this study lies in its reliance on relatively objective data from devices rather than self-reported information from participants.
What Does the WHO Say About This?
The study’s results were published simultaneously with the release of the World Health Organization’s Global Recommendations on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior. These guidelines were developed by 40 experts from six continents, as reported by Science Alert.
“As emphasized in these recommendations, any physical activity counts, and any amount of exercise is better than none,” said Emmanuel Stamatakis, a researcher in physical activity and population health at the University of Sydney, Australia.
“People can still protect their health and counteract the harmful effects of inactivity,” he added.
The findings from the Norwegian researchers align with WHO recommendations, which suggest that to combat a sedentary lifestyle, individuals should aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of high-intensity exercise each week.
Experts also recommend taking the stairs instead of the elevator, playing with children and pets, practicing yoga or dancing, doing household chores, walking, and cycling.
Emmanuel Stamatakis noted, “While the recommendations reflect the latest scientific data, there are still some gaps in our knowledge. For example, we still don’t know where the threshold for too much sitting lies.” However, he added that this area of research is rapidly evolving, so answers will be forthcoming.
The conclusions from the study were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.