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Fitness & Well-Being

A sedentary lifestyle can harm you, even if you exercise

Research shows that if a person sits all day, exercise has little influence in combating heart disease.

By Katherine ButlerFri, Oct 29 2010 at 2:31 PM EST
 3

Sitting while working. Photo: yourdon/Flickr
A sedentary lifestyle is defined by an excessive amount of daily sitting. Be it to watch television, work the computer, or even read, its negative health influences include increased anxiety, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and more. But if a person exercises, everything gets reversed — right? No so, claims new research. As reported by Men’s Health Magazine, a desk job may literally be the end of us, no matter how many spin classes we take.
 
Marc Hamilton is a physiologist and professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. As he told Men’s Health, a man who sits 60 hours at a desk job but still works out for 45 minutes a day five times a week still has a sedentary lifestyle. According to Hamilton, "People tend to view physical activity on a single continuum. On the far side, you have a person who exercises a lot; on the other, a person who doesn't exercise at all. However, they're not necessarily polar opposites." Hamilton and his growing body of evidence shows that even “a sculpted six pack” won’t diminish the harm caused by your office chair.
 
How is this possible? The difference seems to be between exercise activity and non-exercise activity. This is the difference between running, biking, or doing weights as opposed to walking, mowing the lawn, or emptying your dishwasher. A 2007 report found that people with the highest levels of non-exercise activity burn significantly more calories than those who work out regularly. Experts say the difference simply can be about standing. People who stand on the job burn more calories than those who don’t — not matter how much the sedentary worker actually works out.
 
Dr. Peter Katzmarzyk is a researcher at one the nation's leading obesity research centers. He says that sitting, not weight or exercise, is a key factor in determining a person’s overall health. According to Katzmarzky, "The evidence that sitting is associated with heart disease is very strong. We see it in people who smoke and people who don't. We see it in people who are regular exercisers and those who aren't. Sitting is an independent risk factor."
 
This may have something to do with an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL). This enzyme determines if a person will store fat or burn energy. In mice forced to lie down, LPL activity decreased. But in mice that stood around all day, LPL levels were 10 times as active.
 
Ultimately, experts urge people to get out of their chairs and start “non-exercising.” While this may not be practical for those stuck in an office, simple changes like taking phone calls standing up could help. Others encourage us to redefine our workouts into all moments.
 
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anonymous
Michelle J 11/03/2010 15:24 PM

We were just talking about this today, the idea that traditional standing in the work place can sometimes have a "power" perception. Mgrs. stand, everyone else sits. It is about breaking down assumptions and taking risks. Good for you for standing out! You've got some science to rely on too. It IS healthier to stand more often. : -)

anonymous
Frustrated 11/03/2010 15:12 PM

I want to work at your office, Michelle. My office is nowhere near making those things ok. I'm the odd one for staying standing when offered a seat while visiting another cubicle, and then it's usually just two of us!

anonymous
Michelle J 11/01/2010 15:24 PM

Actually, I think it is becoming more practical for office workforces. It does take education. Maybe equipment investment, but certainly commitment by workers to add more movement into their day. At work we've made it okay to stand during long meetings, have quick stand meetings, etc. When you begin to see some of the research (http://research.juststand.org) you realize NOT making it practical is the bigger risk. Thanks for the.... More

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