Try not to panic, but the simple act of sitting has just become
dangerous.
Not even 30 minutes at the gym can halt the bloating waistlines
of sedentary office workers, new research shows.
The Australian study, which will appear in the April issue of
Diabetes Care, says damage caused by prolonged sitting could
increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
However, occasional standing, with a bit of pacing thrown in,
will fight the fat.
The study measured the intensity of physical activity in 168
subjects over seven days.
It showed that, regardless of the amount of moderate-to- vigorous
exercise, those who took more breaks from sitting had smaller
waistlines, lower body mass indexes and lower levels of glucose in
the blood.
Researchers said the results proved there were benefits in
regularly interrupting sitting time.
Christchurch fitness instructor Bevan Eyles said workers who were
chained to their desks should stand while making phone calls, sit on
a swiss ball instead of a chair, or remind themselves to sit up
straight.
He suggested putting a coloured dot on the computer as a reminder
to improve posture or setting a timer to send you on a lap of the
office every hour.
Ergostyle Ergonomic Solutions business manager Chris Andrew said
office planners were increasingly installing "sit-to-stand" work
stations which could be used as workers felt the need to move.
"Humans were never designed to sit for eight hours a day," Andrew
said.
"It creates a risk of permanent discomfort. If you're stooping
over a laptop, breathing can be laboured and it interrupts blood
flow.
"Standing, which uses more of the skeletal system, means soft
tissue will function in a normal fashion without the pressure points
you might get from being seated or being seated inappropriately."
In 2006, The Mayo Clinic in America suggested chairless schools
might help fight the obesity epidemic.
Researchers have applied for Australian Government funding for a
two-year study into the impact on productivity and health from
prolonged sitting.