Counteracting Sitting
By Editorial Staff
Sit, sit, sit – too many people do too much of it these days, between desk jobs and the newer, big one: screen time in general. All that sitting is bad for your health, as numerous studies have suggested. But what can you do to counteract all that sitting? Walking is one way to do it – and research tells us how much it takes.
Adults were directed to sit in an ergonomic chair for eight hours at a time. They could only get up for bathroom breaks – and to perform one of five short bursts of exercise:
- One minute of walking every 30 minutes
- One minute of walking every 60 minutes
- Five minutes of walking every 30 minutes
- Five minutes of walking every 60 minutes
- No walking for the entire eight hours
Each participant performed one of the five per day, with all participants completing all five over a five-day period. Throughout the eight-hour study, researchers checked participants' blood pressure and blood sugar levels. While any of the five exercise scenarios reduced BP and blood sugar, walking for five minutes every 30 minutes was particularly effective at lowering blood sugar – nearly 60% lower compared to sitting for eight hours without any walking breaks.
With blood sugar levels out of control due to processed food and added sugar intake, leading to skyrocketing rates of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, these findings are significant because they point to a simple part of the solution: periodic walking. Your doctor can tell you more about how exercise / movement can play a powerful role in your health.
