The average American is inactive for more than half of their waking hours.1 And that makes sense, right? Think of the time you spend driving. Then sitting at work. Then lounging at home on the couch or scrolling on your phone.
It may not sound that bad at first, but too much sitting could actually lead to some big health problems.
The trouble with sitting
Too much sedentary time (the time you spend sitting or lying down) can have some poor health impacts.1 The more time you spend sitting, the more likely your risks may increase for:
- Weight gain and an expanding waistline, which is strongly associated with heart disease, stroke and diabetes2
- Loss of bone density, muscle strength and flexibility, which can lead to pain or injury and increased risk for osteoporosis
- Higher blood sugar and blood pressure and lower blood flow and HDL cholesterol, which can contribute to diabetes and heart disease
The benefits of moving
The good news? It’s easy to break up the time you spend sitting down. You don’t need to become a medal-winning athlete to see some amazing health benefits. Standing and walking more can help you:
- Manage your weight
- Lower your cholesterol and blood sugar
- Lower your blood pressure
- Improve your balance
- Stay strong and flexible
- Improve your mood
- Prevent disease and stay healthy
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Adding some activity to your day can help you feel your best—and so can what’s on your plate. Check out these delicious foods that help fight and reduce inflammation.
Published May 3, 2023
1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7700832/
2https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/03/19/waist-size-predicts-heart-attacks-better-than-bmi-especially-in-women
3https://library.teladochealth.com/hc/en-us/articles/360011985533-Why-Move-More-
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