How Prolonged Sitting Can Hurt You
The risks of too much sitting and not enough standing are much discussed on this blog — what we’ve often referred to as “Sitting is the New Smoking.”
The call to stand also exists overseas: GetBritainStanding.org offers a range of information on the risks of too much sitting, as well as how to address the problem — particularly in the workplace. It also offers a nifty “Sitting Calculator.”
According to the site, “in recent years a variety of major international research (see below) has produced compelling evidence that sitting more than 4 hours each day leads to:
- “The enzymes responsible for burning fat shutting down”
- “Reduced metabolic rate”
- “Stopping of the electricity flow in the legs”
The site further reveals the Top 10 risks from too much sitting, noting that “these risks grow significantly for people who sit longer than 4 hours each day:”
- Heart / Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Muscle degeneration
- Back ache / Neck pain
- Osteoporosis
- Depression
- Dementia
