Sitting too long does not increase chances of death: researchers

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Some health buffs have been quick to ditch regular sitting desk for a standing desk following studies claiming that prolonged periods of time sitting down increases their risk of death. Those people may take a seat now, as a new study claims the opposite, EurekAlert reports.

Researchers from the University of Exeter analyzed 5,132 participants for 16 years in the Whitehall II study cohort, making this one of the longest follow-up studies in this field of research. Participants reported how long they sat in four different categories—at work, watching television, leisure time, and non-television leisure time. They also recorded the total time spent sitting down and time spent on physical activity and walking daily.

Factors in the study were also controlled, including diet and general health. Results showed that the participants' overall mortality risk was not influenced by how much time they spent sitting, or by the kind of sitting. Researchers also stressed that too much emphasis on standing should not replace the importance of promoting physical activity. These results contradict previous research that claim that sitting may be detrimental to one's health even for active people.

Washington Post reports that a 2010 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology followed 123,000 adults in 14 years and found that those who sat for over 6 hours per day had 18 percent higher mortality rate rather than those who sat for less than three hours.

Dr. Melvyn Hillsdon from Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Exeter explained, "Our study overturns current thinking on the health risks of sitting and indicates that the problem lies in the absence of movement rather than the time spent sitting itself. Any stationary posture where energy expenditure is low may be detrimental to health, be it sitting or standing."

She commented: "The results cast doubt on the benefits of sit-stand work stations, which employers are increasingly providing to promote healthy working environments."

NHS' recommendations state that regardless of how much exercise a person gets, sitting for prolonged periods of time is still bad for their health. Lead author Dr Richard Pulsford also from Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Exeter explained that the study's findings show that sitting time may not have such a strong link to mortality rate, and that health authorities should continue to promote more physical activity for better health.

Dr. Hillsdon recommended, "Policy makers should be cautious in recommending a reduction in the time spent sitting without also promoting increased physical activity."