Optimal daily sitting time for better health outcomes

Sitting for long periods increases the risk of serious health problems such as obesity, cancer and heart diseases. However, sitting for too little time can also have negative effects on health. This was revealed in a new medical study.

The research published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science analyzed data from more than 41,000 people. The study examined how many hours of sitting per day are not harmful to health.

Researchers found that people who sit for an average of around 4 hours per day have a lower risk of various diseases compared to those who sit for less than 2 hours or more than 8 hours daily.

But why does this happen?

According to researchers, the balance of benefits and risks varies from person to person. For physically active individuals, a moderate amount of sitting can actually be beneficial as it reduces stress on the bones and allows time for physical recovery.

Researchers added that although excessive sitting is harmful to health, their findings suggest that the relationship between sitting and health is not as simple as it seems. They further explained that for highly active individuals, moderate sitting time may actually be beneficial.

The expanded study also found that a person’s average sitting time plays a key role in determining health outcomes and may even reduce the risk of death from any cause. More than 50% of participants in the study sat for less than 4 hours per day.

Their health improved when they replaced 30 minutes of sitting or sleeping time with physical activity reducing the risk of death by 4 to 6 percent.

Similarly, individuals who sat for more than 4 hours a day benefited when they reduced sitting time by 30 minutes and incorporated more physical activity into their routine.

According to researchers, these findings highlight the importance of reducing prolonged sitting and increasing physical activity for better health outcomes.