The Results Are In: Sedentary Lifestyles Lead to Increased Death Risk

While it isn’t new news that leading an inactive lifestyle has negative consequences on your health, a new study led by nutritional scientists at CornellUniversity and published online Jan. 7th in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, revealed a direct link between a sedentary lifestyle and premature deaths; finding that women who spent excessive amounts of time sitting and resting died sooner than their more active peers.   After following 93,000 ethnically diverse postmenopausal American women between the ages of 50-79 for 12 years or more, researchers found that women who experienced 11 hours or more of sedentary time a day experienced an increased risk for early death.   Breakdown of the effects of 11 hours of sedentary time a day: — 12% increase in all-cause premature deaths — 13% increase for cardiovascular disease related death — 27% increase for coronary heart disease related death — 21% increase for cancer related death   These findings reiterate the importance of getting up and leading an active lifestyle. Here are some tips for some quick and easy ways to help you get started incorporating a little more physical activity into your daily routine:   — Exercise regularly, including weight lifting and muscular strengthening —  Walk daily; use the stairs instead of taking the elevator, park in the back of the lot furthest from the entry, walk up and down each isle at the grocery store, etc. —  Take frequent breaks getting up and moving around often, don’t sit at a desk or computer for hours straight — Get up and do something during commercial breaks, even if it’s just walking a lap around the house — Go for a walk or bike ride with friends, family, or pets — Do anything you can to remain active   As one of the most thoroughly representative studies conducted on the effects of sedentary lifestyles on our health, these findings reconfirm the results of previous studies and further validates the growing body of research claiming that sedentary lifestyles have a drastic effect resulting in poor health and premature death. As you go about your day try to keep in mind that moving around throughout the day is just as important as working out is to your overall wellbeing.   Source: http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/01/study-prolonged-sitting-jeopardizes-older-women-s-health