Your short trip to the gym doesn’t cancel out your long day of sitting

Sitting long periods isn't cancelled out by exercise: ©Ibex Media - stock.adobe.com

A study from Mass General Brigham found that excessive sedentary behavior significantly increases the risk of heart disease, even for individuals who meet recommended levels of physical activity. Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the research highlights the importance of reducing sitting time to mitigate cardiovascular risks.

The study analyzed data from 89,530 participants in the UK Biobank who wore activity trackers for one week. Researchers examined the relationship between daily sedentary time and the risk of four cardiovascular outcomes: atrial fibrillation, heart attacks, heart failure, and cardiovascular death. They found that individuals who spent more than 10.6 hours a day sedentary (excluding sleep) had a 40–60% greater risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death compared to those with less sedentary time.

"Sedentary risk remained even in people who were physically active," said lead author Ezimamaka Ajufo, M.D., a cardiology fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in a statement. "Many of us sit a lot and think that if we exercise after work, we can counterbalance it. However, we found it to be more complex than that."

The findings indicate that while physical activity can mitigate some risks, such as those related to atrial fibrillation and heart attacks, it is less effective at offsetting the increased risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death linked to prolonged sitting.

“Our data supports the idea that it is always better to sit less and move more to reduce heart disease risk," said co-senior author Shaan Khurshid, M.D., M.P.H., an electrophysiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, in a statement. "Avoiding excessive sitting is especially important for lowering risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death.”

The study employed a machine-learning algorithm to classify sedentary behavior and used advanced statistical methods to adjust for other risk factors. It builds on previous research emphasizing the negative health impacts of sedentary lifestyles, offering robust evidence for the need to address excessive sitting as a distinct cardiovascular risk factor.

The authors said they hope their findings will influence future public health guidelines. They advocate for interventions aimed at reducing sedentary time, such as workplace strategies and community programs that promote regular movement throughout the day.

“Exercise is critical, but avoiding excessive sitting appears separately important," said co-senior author Patrick Ellinor, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, in a statement. "Our hope is that this work can empower patients and providers by offering another way to improve cardiovascular health.”

The researchers next plan to explore the impacts of sedentary behavior on other diseases and to investigate how reducing sitting time affects long-term health outcomes.