Office workers 'need one hour of physical activity a day'
Desk-bound employees at greater risk of dying, but a little exercise can reverse the damage, says study
Office workers and other sedentary people face an increased risk of death, but it can be reversed if they engage in one hour of physical activity a day, a major new study announced today.
The good news for people who sit a lot is that they don't need to sweat buckets in the gym - gentler activities such as brisk walking or cycling for pleasure are enough to offset the damage.
An international research team looked at data from 16 previous studies and featuring more than one million people, mainly over-45s from western Europe, Australia and the US, says The Guardian.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It found people who sat for eight or more hours a day and did not exercise had a 9.9 per cent chance of dying between two to 18 years after the data had been recorded.
However, those who sat for eight or more hours but did at least one hour of physical activity every day had only a 6.8 per cent chance of being dead within the same period.
Lead researcher Professor Ulf Ekelund, of the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences and Cambridge University, said going to the gym was not necessary to reverse the increased risk.
"You don’t need to do sport, you don't need to go to the gym," he said. "It's OK doing some brisk walking, maybe in the morning, during lunchtime, after dinner in the evening. You can split it up over the day, but you need to do at least one hour."
He added: "It's not easy to do one hour of physical activity a day but... the average TV viewing time in adults in the UK today is 3hrs 6mins or something like that, more than three hours.
"I don't know if it's too much to ask that just a little bit of those three hours may be devoted to physical activity."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The drive behind Germany's pro-Israel political consensus
Under the Radar Belief that Israel's security is a 'raison d'etre for the German republic' is under growing pressure
By The Week UK Published
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad bets
In The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Home Office worker accused of spiking mistress’s drink with abortion drug
Speed Read Darren Burke had failed to convince his girlfriend to terminate pregnancy
By The Week Staff Published
-
In hock to Moscow: exploring Germany’s woeful energy policy
Speed Read Don’t expect Berlin to wean itself off Russian gas any time soon
By The Week Staff Published
-
Were Covid restrictions dropped too soon?
Speed Read ‘Living with Covid’ is already proving problematic – just look at the travel chaos this week
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Inclusive Britain: a new strategy for tackling racism in the UK
Speed Read Government has revealed action plan setting out 74 steps that ministers will take
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sandy Hook families vs. Remington: a small victory over the gunmakers
Speed Read Last week the families settled a lawsuit for $73m against the manufacturer
By The Week Staff Published
-
Farmers vs. walkers: the battle over ‘Britain’s green and pleasant land’
Speed Read Updated Countryside Code tells farmers: ‘be nice, say hello, share the space’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Motherhood: why are we putting it off?
Speed Read Stats show around 50% of women in England and Wales now don’t have children by 30
By The Week Staff Published
-
Tonga’s tsunami: the aid effort turns political
Speed Read Efforts to help Tonga’s 105,000 residents have been beset by problems
By The Week Staff Published