Are You an Active Couch Potato?

Sitting all day whether in the car, in front of a computer or TV means you are not activating your muscles and this could be increasing your chances of developing disease.  “Active couch potato” is a term used to describe a person who finds the time to exercise but spends much of the rest of his or her day sitting or reclining. Many people believe that if they get the recommended 30-90 minutes of exercise each day they are in the clear, but more evidence is showing that breaking up periods of inactivity (sitting still) is just as important for preventing disease. It is important to realize that that too much sitting is distinct from too little exercise.

In a recent study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, researchers report that men who sat the most had the greatest risk of heart problems. Men who spent more than 23 hours a week watching TV and sitting in their cars (as passengers or as drivers) had a 64 percent greater chance of dying from heart disease than those who sat for 11 hours a week or less. What was unexpected was that many of the men who sat long hours and developed heart problems also exercised; their workouts did not counteract the ill effects of sitting for so long!

There is good news though! Based on the results of another study, the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study, it appears that we can decrease the risk caused by so much sitting by… moving! The researchers observed that those who had many mini breaks in sedentary behavior had beneficial associations with metabolic biomarker, meaning that they potentially decreased their risk of developing disease. Behaviors that were considered breaks included, transitioning from sitting to a standing position or from standing still to beginning to walk, nothing too crazy there.
The bottom line is that despite your best efforts to fit in exercise, not sitting for too long whether at home in front of the TV or at work in front if computer can be harming your health. So get up and move!