As people age, the sedentary activities increase as the human physical and mental function declines. The study showed that within a 16 hour waking day, individuals tend to sit for 12.3 hours in one day.
The unhealthy lifestyle of sitting too long causes premature deaths in a lot studied by Keith Diaz, author of the study and an associate research scientist at the Columbia University Department of Medicine.
Growing old means more sedentary activities
For a deeper understanding of how long hours of sitting and premature deaths affect each other, Diaz's team from Columbia, Newyork Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center, and other organizations asked the help of Reasons for Geographic and Racial Difference in Stroke (REGARDS), an entity sponsored by the National Health Institute.
The research, conducted in 7,985 subjects composed of blacks and whites, has a design to examine stroke episodes in both racial colors, reports CNN.
Subjects of the study, ages ranging from 45 years old and above, have hip-mounted accelerometers that indicate sitting frequency and length in their waking hours of the day. The study period recorded 340 deaths considering all cause mortality or death from any cause.
The result of extended sedentary positions showed the proportional increase in prolonged sitting hours equating to more deaths than the previous study. The rise in deaths occurred regardless of age, sex, Exercise habits, body mass index, and race.
Adverse effects of prolonged sitting
Avoid the excess sitting syndrome for too long by doing an exercise regimen to prevent deadly Diseases.
Activity should be in place every 30 minutes of being sedentary.
Moving around is imperative if one is to remain healthy, adds Diaz. Activities like running, walking or doing exercises that stretch the muscles of the body are one of the guidelines for the body. The activity will thwart diseases from damaging the person exposed to long hours of sitting.
Illnesses associated with long hours on a chair
These are the results of extended sedentary position
- Organ Damage
a. Heart Disease - muscles burn less fat, and blood flow is slow leading to coagulation of the heart by fatty acids
b. Pancreatic DIsease - Pancreas produce insulin to power the cells. The idle muscles constrict the cells from immediate response to receive insulin causing the pancreas to overwork that can lead to diabetes.
c. Colon Cancer - prolonged sitting exposes individuals to a colon, breast, and endometrial cancers.
- Head and Neck Problems
a. Foggy Brain - Brain function slows down when we remain seated for long hours on end.
b. Strained Neck - Leaning forward to a computer on a desk job could cause a permanent imbalance to the body.
c. Sole shoulders and back - when the neck leans forward, the back and shoulders follow.
- Muscle degeneration
a. Abs muscles become inactive causing imbalance
b. Tight hips
c. Limp Glutes alters forward walking stride affecting balance.
- Leg Problems
a. Poor circulation in the lower extremities
b. Bones become soft
Exercise could help in preventing the illnesses brought about by extended sedentary positions, reports the Washington Post. But no matter how we get our exercise, excessive sitting for long hours at a time leads to early deaths. The reports are in a publication in the Annals of International Medicine last Monday.
