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Written By: Agencies | Updated : July 23, 2016 10:19 AM IST
This is one of the first studies to show that sitting time is associated with early markers of atherosclerosis buildup in the heart, said senior study author Amit Khera, associate professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre. Each additional hour of daily sedentary time is associated with a 12 percent higher likelihood of coronary artery calcification, Khera noted. (Read: Sitting for more than three hours a day is responsible for 4% deaths worldwide)
In the study published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, the researchers concluded that reducing daily sitting time by even one to two hours per day could have a significant and positive impact on future cardiovascular health. For many individuals with a desk job that requires them to sit for large portions of the day, they suggested taking frequent breaks. In this study, the researchers asked some 2,000 participants to wear a device that measured their activity levels for a week. Participants spent an average of 5.1 hours sitting per day and an average of 29 minutes in moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. (Read: Study: Prolonged standing is as bad as sitting for long hours)
We observed a significant association between increased sedentary time and coronary artery calcium, Khera said. These associations were independent of exercise, traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and socioeconomic factors, Khera noted. This research suggests that increased subclinical atherosclerosis characterized by calcium deposition is one of the mechanisms through which sedentary behavior increases cardiovascular risk and that this risk is distinct from the protective power of exercise, he explained. (Read: Reverse the effects of prolonged sitting with these tips)
Source: IANS
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