Sitting for so long at work may increase mortality risk

 

Sitting for so long at work

A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that prolonged sitting in a sedentary position in the workplace may be linked to an increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease.

The research, conducted in Taiwan and involving more than 480,000 adults over 12 years, suggests that alternating periods of sitting and non-sitting at work could mitigate these risks.

The increasing prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle in modern life has led many companies to keep their employees sitting for long periods, despite awareness of the negative health effects associated with this behavior.

In line with the 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, as well as the 2018 physical activity guidelines in the United States and 2019 in the United Kingdom, the study highlights the importance of reducing sedentary behaviors.

The results of the study, which focused on three occupational sitting arrangements (mostly sitting, alternating sitting and not sitting, and not sitting), reveal that those who mostly sit at work face 16% and 34% higher risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, compared to those who rarely sit during their workdays.

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The analysis also took into account the participants' free-time physical activity. The results showed that those with higher levels of leisure-time physical activity experienced a significantly lower risk of mortality compared to those who mostly sat.

Additionally, no significant differences in mortality risk were observed between those who alternated between sitting and non-sitting at work.

The key is physical inactivity

The study highlighted that 60% of the cohort studied were in the mostly sitting group, 10% in the mostly non-sitting group and 29% in the alternating sitting and non-sitting group. Physical inactivity was reported by 47% of participants in the mostly sitting group, 51% in the alternating group, and 57% in the mostly non-sitting group.

During the 12-year follow-up period, a total of 26,257 deaths were recorded, with 57% of these occurring in the mostly sitting group. Among the 5,371 deaths related to cardiovascular diseases, 60% belonged to the mostly sitting group.

The study suggests that adopting a more active approach in the workplace, such as alternating between sitting and non-sitting, along with adequate levels of leisure-time physical activity, can significantly reduce the risk of mortality. Even small daily increments of 15 to 30 minutes of leisure-time physical activity can equate to risk levels seen in those who rarely sit.

These findings highlight the importance of considering physical activity not only as a component of well-being but also as an effective strategy to reduce the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Adopting more active habits, both at work and in leisure time, can have a significant positive impact on cardiovascular health and overall mortality.