Don’t Take Heart Health Sitting Down
Habitually sitting for long periods of time has already been linked to a number of health risks. Now, a recent study suggests that any other activity — even sleeping — may be better for the heart than sitting. Researchers from University College London looked at data from 15,246 people who wore devices to monitor their daily movement; they also assessed the participants’ heart health. The investigators created a ranking of daily behaviors based on their benefits for heart health: moderate-to-vigorous activity, light activity, standing, sleep, and sitting. They then developed a model of how swapping one behavior for another might affect heart health.
The team discovered that even small changes, like substituting moderate-vigorous activity for five minutes of sedentary time, notably improved heart health. While vigorous activity quickly improved heart health, those with limited physical abilities could also benefit from any increase in activity: Even subtle variations, like using a standing desk, had positive effects over time.
More research is needed to better understand the connection between movement and cardiovascular health.
Sources
academic.oup/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad717/7343176
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