Sitting idle for hours can lead to early death

In a recent study made in Australia, it has been found that a person sitting for 11 hours or more everyday has greater chance of dying within three years. It doesn’t matter either we are physical active or not at that time.

As per the study by University of Sydney, the people who remain sitting idle for half day increase the risk of death for them to 40, even when physical activity and weight was taken into account, the Daily Mail reported.

"These results have important public health implications. That morning walk or trip to the gym is still necessary but it's also important to avoid prolonged sitting," said the study leader Hidde van der Ploeg.

"Our results suggest the time people spend sitting at home, work and in traffic should be reduced by standing or walking more." He added.

The study showed that the risk of dying for the people who sit idle has double the risk within three years than the active people who sat least. It was seen that the physically inactive group who sat most of the time idle have a higher risk of death to one-third than those who sat least.

The research was commissioned by the Cardiovascular Research Network and supported by the National Heart Foundation Australia's NSW Division.

Being inactive is one of the major reasons for risk of cardiovascular disease and is responsible for over 17 million deaths a year across the world. Said Heart Foundation CEO Tony Thirlwell .

"Watching TV, using computers and electronic games can involve sitting for long periods and have become a big part of leisure time," he said.

"But we know that people who spend less time on these things have better health than those who spend too much time on them."

-with inputs from IANS.