And it’s not yet clear if people should replace prolonged inactivity with simple movement or moderate to vigorous physical activity, the AHA said.
“There’s a lot of research that we need to do,” Young said. “This statement is important because it starts the ball rolling and suggests sedentary behavior may play an important role in heart health and more. But, it’s too early to make conclusive recommendations other than to encourage Americans to ‘sit less, move more.’ ”
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Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum is a preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She agreed that, based on the evidence, sitting is more than just a “lack of moving.”
“The real risk simply comes down to the amount we sit, without there being a true antidote [such as exercise],” Steinbaum said.
Still, society has evolved to encourage sitting, she added.
“Our lives have become focused around activities requiring us to be still — whether it be commuting or transportation, our computers, or the television or computer in our leisure time,” Steinbaum said. “Sociologically, instead of being active to be productive or to have enjoyment, our productivity and fun often requires minimal exertion.’
For her part, George offered up some tips to help minimize sitting and the health dangers it may cause:
- Take a one- to three-minute break every half-hour during the day to stand (which burns twice as many calories as sitting) or walk around.
- Stand or exercise while watching TV or working on the computer.
- Give up your seat on public transportation and enjoy the people watching from above rather than below.
- “Walk and Talk” rather than “Sit and Speak” while talking on cell phones or land lines.
- Introduce walking meetings to the work calendar (you’re more productive and less distracted).
- If you sit at your job all day long, set an alarm on your cell phone (on low) to remind yourself to stand up at least every 2 hours for more than a minute at a time. Stretch, bend or take a short walk.
- Gradually reduce daily sitting time by 15 to 20 minutes per day, aiming for two to three fewer sedentary hours over a 12-hour day.
The new statement was published Aug. 15 in the AHA journal Circulation.