Do You Sit Too Much? Daily Exercise Is a Great Antidote

Thirty to 40 minutes of exercise a day helps undo the damage of
sitting, say new global guidelines.
By ​Selene Yeager
Dec 11, 2020

benefits of exercise
Javier Sánchez Mingorance / EyeEmGetty Images
* Prolonged periods of sedentary time can increase your risk of
early death, but exceeding the minimum recommended physical
activity levels of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of
vigorous exercise a week can help counter those risks, says the
World Health Organization (WHO) in its new global activity
guidelines.
* People who did just 30 to 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous
activity had a substantially lower risk of early death—similar to
those who had very low amounts of sedentary time, according to the
study.
* Even very short bouts of activity—less than 10 minutes—accumulated
throughout the day provide protection.
__________________________________________________________________

You know sitting all day is bad for your health. Experts even use a
term—sitting disease—for the increased health woes and risk of early
death associated with lots of chair time. So what’s a desk-bound worker
to do?

Be sure to exercise 30 to 40 minutes a day, that’s what.

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The health harms and risk of early death associated with prolonged
sitting can be offset by exceeding the minimum recommended physical
activity levels for a person—150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75
minutes of vigorous exercise—says the World Health Organization (WHO)
in its new global guidelines on physical activity and sedentary
behavior published in a special dedicated issue of the British
Journal of Sports Medicine.

These findings come from a research review, which includes nine
studies. More than 44,000 men and women wore activity trackers and were
followed for about 10 years. Unsurprisingly, the research reported that
adults who clocked 10 or more hours of sedentary time a day had a
significantly higher risk of early death. But that risk was
particularly pronounced among people who were generally physically
inactive.

People who completed 30 to 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity
had a substantially lower risk of early death—similar to those who had
very low amounts of sedentary time, according to the study.

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For reference, moderate activity is anything that gets your heart rate
up, but also allows you to still carry on a conversation. Vigorous
activity ramps your heart rate up so you’re breathing heavily—enough
that you can still talk, but just in short sentences.
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Researchers say these findings reinforce the recommendations set out in
the 2020 World Health Organization Global Guidelines on Physical
Activity and Sedentary Behaviour.

The other important takeaway from this research: All movement counts,
even five-minute bouts of activity accumulated throughout the day.
Previously, the guidelines specified that physical activity needed to
be sustained for at least 10 minutes to be beneficial. That has been
changed—the body of research shows that physical activity of any
duration improves all health outcomes and reduces risk of early death.

“These guidelines are very timely, given that we are in the middle of a
global pandemic, which has confined people indoors for long periods
and encouraged an increase in sedentary behavior,” said special issue
co-editor Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, of the University of Sydney,
in a press release.

“But people can still protect their health and offset the harmful
effects of physical inactivity. As these guidelines emphasize, all
physical activity counts and any amount of it is better than none.”

From: Bicycling US
​Selene Yeager “The Fit Chick” Selene Yeager is a top-selling
professional health and fitness writer who lives what she writes as a
NASM certified personal trainer, USA Cycling certified coach, Pn1
certified nutrition coach, pro licensed off road racer, and
All-American Ironman triathlete.
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