This edition of Hood Health 101 looks at a recent study that links prolonged sitting with premature death.
Modern conveniences strive to make everything that we do take the least amount of effort to accomplish. We can do so much from the comfort of our beds, chairs, or couch that many of us have become very inactive on a daily basis. A new study that was performed by the Annals of Internal Medicine found that living a sedentary lifestyle increases the chances of contracting a disease or a condition that can lead to premature death. The researchers analyzed 47 studies on sedentary behaviors finding that it can lead to death from various types of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues or diseases. The World Health Organization says,
Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally.
Dr. David Alter, the senior scientist and senior author of the published study states;
More than one half of an average person’s day is spent being sedentary—sitting, watching television, or working at a computer. Our study finds that despite the health-enhancing benefits of physical activity, this alone may not be enough to reduce the risk for disease.
What does this mean you ask? It means that you have to get moving and engage in more physical activities. Anytime you find that you are sitting, look for ways to stand or move around a bit.
Small ways to get moving:
- Walk around while talking on the phone
- Walk around during commercial breaks as you watch television
- Stand up every hour and walk around your office for a couple of minutes while at work
- Walk to your destination if it is within 10 minutes of your current location
- Stand while taking public transportation
Ultimately, we cannot be so comfortable with simply sitting down majority of the time. A typical day for many of us include sitting while driving to work, sitting while at work, and then coming home with the desire to sit or lay down to relax. As a culture we have become more complacent with this type of inactivity that can lead to our own demise. So as you progress through your day always look for ways to move around. Strive to take at least the recommended 10,000 steps per day and throw in a workout while you’re at it! Keep in mind beloveds that actions big or small at the very least can decrease your risks for health issues. Remember to drop a line and show me love on Twitter @NakeashaJ and Instagram @Melanated_Beauty.
-Nakeasha Johnson (@NakeashaJ)
