Why Sitting Is the New Smoking

Maybe you’ve heard this saying before – “Sitting is the new smoking.” But what does that mean? It used to be that “everyone” smoked, but now “everyone” sits. If I exercise most days 30 to 60 minutes, then I’ve done my job to reduce chronic diseases like heart disease – right? Well, that’s part of it.

It turns out that interrupting your prolonged sitting is as important as exercise alone. But in order to understand how this affects your life, you must have a good idea of how long you sit every day. Think about time spent commuting, watching TV, at work, at the computer, eating, being social or in class and meetings. It adds up quickly, right? I don’t know about you, but I sit at a computer for most of the day, and it’s challenging to get the steps and interruptions in sitting I need. Being sedentary is the ultimate enemy. But what if we can’t help it? And why is prolonged sitting as risky as smoking?

In studies specifically studying the health impact of prolonged sitting, researchers found that regardless of fitness level, body mass index (BMI) or age, prolonged sitting had a significant negative impact on blood glucose, insulin sensitivity, waist circumference and triglycerides – all risk factors for chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. They found that even short ( less than 5 minute) bouts of light activity every 30 minutes, to break up sitting time, reversed these adverse side effects.

So what can you do about increasing your activity when you sit all day? Here are nine ideas to interrupt your sitting:

• Set an alarm on your cell phone for every 30 to 60 minutes. Make it your “Move It” time. Just a couple of minutes of stretching, even at your desk, is helpful.

• Instead of emailing a colleague, get up and walk down the hall for a chat.

• At lunch time, eat for half the allotted time and take a brisk walk for the other half.

• Keep tennis shoes under your desk and, whenever possible, get colleagues to have “walk and talks” instead of sitting around a table. And if that’s not possible, then stand at meetings. You’ll be surprised at how much shorter your meetings will be if everyone is standing.

• If you’re on the phone throughout the day, stand and move while talking.

• Stand on the bus or train while commuting.

• Take a class before or after work that requires movement.

• Walk quickly and take the stairs whenever possible.

• Use a pedometer to help you track how many steps you’re moving each day.

Most of us spend the majority of our day in a seated position whether we choose to or not. Make it your goal to focus on maximizing movement and minimizing sedentary behaviors.

Darci Barman, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, is a licensed medical provider covered by most major health insurance plans, practices at Thyme for You Nutrition www.thymeforyounutrition.com.

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