Reduce Your Risk of Health Issues: Add 15-30 Minutes of Exercise If You Sit for Extended Periods at Work

In the world of work, a recent study has revealed an interesting finding: if you spend most of your time sitting at a desk, adding 15 to 30 minutes of exercise to your daily routine can help lower the risk of health issues. The study looked at 481,688 people over about 13 years and found that those who spent a lot of time sitting had a 16 percent higher chance of overall health issues and a whopping 34 percent higher risk of heart-related problems compared to those with a less sedentary job.

by TAUHID SHAH: January 21: Sunday: 8:17 PM | 2024 Updated

Our modern lives often involve long hours of sitting, despite most experts agreeing that it’s not great for our health.

Published in the well-regarded journal JAMA Network Open, the study suggests a simple solution: either take breaks from sitting at work or increase your daily physical activity to lower the risks of health problems linked to sitting for too long.

The study focused on people in a health surveillance program in Taiwan, tracking them from 1996 to 2017. Researchers gathered data on how much time people spent sitting at work, their leisure-time physical activities, lifestyle choices, and health measurements.

Looking at the data over an average of 13 years, there were 26,257 recorded deaths. After accounting for factors like age, gender, education, smoking, drinking, and weight, the results were clear. Those who spent most of their work time sitting had a 16 percent higher risk of overall health issues and a daunting 34 percent higher risk of heart-related problems compared to their more active colleagues.

Interestingly, the study found a potential solution. If you break up your sitting time at work and add 15 to 30 minutes of exercise to your day, it could help reduce the negative effects of sitting for long periods.