Like most healthy-minded office dwellers, you probably do your best to make up for long days spent sitting at your desk by getting active on your own time -- you go for walk, head to the gym on a regular basis and even try to take the stairs when you're feeling energetic. You put in a good effort to work against your sedentary lifestyle ... but is it enough?
Probably not, according to recent research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. While exercise plays an important role in improving and prolonging your health, the dangers associated with sitting for long periods still exist independently of your exercise habits. In fact, studies found that a woman's chances of developing metabolic syndrome -- a condition that can lead to diabetes -- rises by 26 percent for every hour she spends watching TV, regardless of how much exercise she gets when she's off the couch. Ouch!
So what can you do to protect your health? If packing in your desk job to go work as a labourer on a farm isn't an option, researchers recommend lessening the amount of time you spend sitting in one spot. Consider breaking up your day with several five-minute bursts of activity. Take a walk, take the stairs -- as long as you do something, anything, that gets your heart pumping just a little bit.
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