United States: In an era where many of us spend hours sitting at desks, lounging on couches, or scrolling through screens, the hidden dangers of a sedentary lifestyle are becoming alarmingly clear.
New research published in JACC: Journal of the American College of Cardiology and presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2024 reveals that spending more than 10.6 hours a day sitting or lying down could significantly raise the risk of heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular (CV) death-regardless of how much exercise you get.
“Too much sitting or lying down can be harmful to heart health, even for those who are active,” stated Dr. Shaan Khurshid, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-senior author of the study.
The research underscores the importance of reducing sedentary time, even if individuals meet the recommended exercise guidelines.
The study delves deeper into the relationship between sedentary behavior and cardiovascular disease (CVD), showing that exercise alone isn’t enough to mitigate the negative effects of prolonged sitting. While current health guidelines recommend over 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, they don’t specifically address the impact of sedentary behavior, despite its proven connection to increased CVD risk.
The research analyzed data from 89,530 participants in the UK Biobank, who wore wrist accelerometers to track their movement. Over an average of eight years, the study found that participants who sat for more than 10.6 hours a day experienced a significantly higher risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death.
While physical activity did reduce the risks of atrial fibrillation (AF) and myocardial infarction (MI) in sedentary individuals, it had a lesser impact on the risks associated with heart failure and cardiovascular mortality.
Dr. Khurshid emphasized that, “Future public health efforts and guidelines should focus on reducing sedentary time.”
Despite its importance, the study does have limitations, such as the inability to assess where or why participants spent long periods sitting, like at work, which could have different health impacts. Additionally, wrist accelerometers may misclassify standing time as sedentary time, potentially skewing results.
Overall, the study sheds light on the often-overlooked risks of prolonged sitting and urges individuals to prioritize reducing sedentary time, alongside regular physical activity, for better cardiovascular health.