Just 22 minutes of daily exercise can offset the health risks of too much sitting

Just 22 minutes of daily exercise can offset the health risks of too much sitting

Just 22 minutes of daily exercise can offset the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle. New research shows that people who sit for more than 12 hours a day have a 38% increased risk of death - if they don't get at least 22 minutes of exercise per day. To incorporate more physical activity into your day, experts recommend doing things you enjoy, whether it's hiking, biking, or other fun activities.

Spending too much time sitting can have devastating consequences for your health - but you may be able to offset these risks by exercising for less than half an hour a day, new research shows.

For many people in more developed countries such as the United States, a highly sedentary lifestyle is the norm - people can spend up to 10 hours a day sitting, mostly during work hours. And the more time a person spends sedentary, the higher their likelihood of developing health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer - all of which can increase the risk of early death.

The new study, published earlier this month in theBritish Journal of Sports Medicinewanted to examine how much sedentary time is associated with a higher risk of early death - and how much physical activity might be needed to offset that risk.

It found that among people aged 50 and older, sitting for more than 12 hours per day can increase the risk of early death by 38% - but only for those who engage in less than 22 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. More physical activity further offsets this risk.

Here's what you need to know about the new study, why sitting for long periods of time can be harmful to your health, and the benefits of even a small amount of physical activity.

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Positive effects of exercise on a sedentary lifestyle

For the study, researchers examined health and activity tracker data from nearly 12,000 people who wore motion-sensing devices on their hips for 10 hours a day for at least four days. The people, almost equally men and women, came from Norway, Sweden and the USA. Every single person in the study was followed for at least two years.

Participants' data was then linked to death registries, and researchers found that, on average, 805 people had died over a five-year period. Of those who died, 357 people spent less than 10.5 hours a day sitting, and 448 people spent 10.5 hours or more sitting.

The overall analysis showed that sitting for more than 12 hours a day was associated with a 38% higher risk of death from any cause compared to people who spent just 8 hours a day sitting - but this increased risk of death was only seen in people who did less than 22 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) a day.

The study classified MVPA as brisk walking, cycling, resistance exercise, or gardening. It also considered other factors that contributed to death by collecting data on a variety of important factors such as education, smoking, alcohol consumption and disease.

Additionally, the research showed that higher levels of MVPA were associated with a lower risk of death regardless of time spent sitting - but the association between sitting time and risk of death was largely influenced by physical activity.

For people who spent 10.5 hours or less sitting each day, an additional 10 minutes of MVPA was associated with a 15% lower risk of death; Meanwhile, people who spent more than 10.5 hours sitting had a 35% lower risk of death from an additional 10 minutes of activity.

The study was observational, meaning the data couldn't show cause and effect, but researchers concluded that "small amounts of MVPA may be an effective strategy to reduce the risk of mortality from prolonged sedentary time."

Why a sedentary lifestyle is harmful

As society develops, more and more people sit in front of the computer for longer periods of time, even in childhood. Research has shown that adults who spend more time watching television as children are more likely to suffer health problems. It is estimated that today's average teenager spends about seven hours a day in front of screens.

And with all that screen time comes extended periods of sitting, which has been shown to have detrimental effects on overall health.

"The way you look at it is more related to what you don't do when you're sitting down," said Dr. Ronald Freudenberger, cardiologist and chief physician at the Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular InstituteHealth. "If you sleep eight hours and then sit for nine hours, you're not moving much and that's affecting your muscles, bones and cardiovascular system."

He adds that your muscles are important for flexibility, balance and limiting possible back pain, especially as you age.

"Our core muscles really hold our spine and pelvis in the correct position, and your abdominal muscles also hold everything in the correct position," he said. "If these muscles are undeveloped or underdeveloped, you are more likely to experience back pain from not standing properly. This can also lead to degeneration of your spine and other problems."

Other research suggests that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to a variety of health risks, including cardiovascular disease, cancer risk, metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and even depression and cognitive impairment.

Move more to counteract sitting

If you suspect you lead a sedentary lifestyle, the good news is that there are plenty of ways to incorporate small activities into your daily routine.

“I tell my patients to do what you enjoy — anything aerobic,” Freudenberger said. "It doesn't have to be fancy. You can go up and down steps. Improvise and make the most of what you have available."

Other small exercises like completing daily chores, getting up and moving your body during commercial breaks, tracking your steps, or even opting for a walking pad to avoid sitting at a desk all day are great ways to combat a sedentary lifestyle.

And you don't have to move for a long time - just be consistent.

“The key is continued engagement, because the body continually adapts to your demands – when you ask it to do an activity, the heart adapts so it can sustain it over time,” said study co-author Edvard Sagelv, PhD, a researcher at the Arctic University of NorwayHealth.

“When it comes down to it, [it’s] fascinating that such small amounts can reduce the risk of premature death so much,” Sagely added. “The effect of regular physical activity is amazing, you could say exercise is both prevention and medicine.”