All activity counts toward your health, or so the experts say. The worst for your health is to sit for many hours at a time at a desk job and that’s what most people do. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 80% of jobs now require little physical activity. That’s unfortunate since research shows prolonged sitting, over 6 hours per day, increases the risk of death from cardiovascular events and overall mortality.
In addition, prolonged sitting affects how your body processes glucose and lipids, and it does so in a way that raises cardiovascular risk. There are other negative effects of sitting you might not have considered. Sitting in one place causes blood to pool in the veins in your legs. This increases the risk of blood clots in the legs. So, you might assume that having a job that keeps you physically active would be beneficial. New research looks at this issue and comes to a surprising conclusion.
What the Study Showed
A study published in the European Heart Journal looked at data on 104,036 men and women of all adult ages as part of a larger study. They questioned the subjects about the amount of activity they did as part of their job, and the time they spent engaging in leisure-time physical activity. They also classified their level of physical activity as low, moderate, or high in intensity. Then, they compared their activity levels to health outcomes.
Their findings? First, the good news. Even after adjusting for factors that would affect the risk of dying, like age, gender, health, and lifestyle habits, higher leisure-time activity was linked with a significant drop in early death ranging from 26% to 40%. The bad news? Higher worktime activity was associated with a greater risk of death, ranging from 13% to 27% higher.
Why is this important? Sometimes, people believe that because they have an active job, they don’t have to do leisure-time workout. These physically active folks assume the exercise they get on the job is enough to keep them fit and healthy. This study suggests otherwise. In fact, the participants who were most active on the job had a higher risk of death relative to those who were more sedentary at work.
Surprising, right? But don’t jump to conclusions based on this study. It doesn’t mean you should switch from a job where you’re active to one where you sit all day. Other research shows there’s no benefit to prolonged sitting and many studies show obvious risks. In fact, sitting for over 6 hours daily elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and some types of cancer. The research, instead, shows exercise on the job isn’t a substitute for a structured workout.
Why Was Work Physical Activity Not Protective?
You might wonder why physically active work not only wasn’t protective but was linked with a higher risk of death. The reason isn’t clear. But people who have physically active jobs often do a lot of lifting, for example, UPS drivers and people who stock shelves. How beneficial is that for health? The lifting might modestly boost muscle strength and endurance, but long periods of lifting can cause a prolonged rise in blood pressure.
Plus, this type of work is fatiguing, making it less likely that people will feel inclined to exercise when they get home. Lifting boxes doesn’t provide significant cardiovascular benefits, so these folks may be getting no cardiovascular exercise at all. Plus, jobs, where workers are physically active, may involve exposure to air pollution that places them at higher risk of cardiovascular disease independent of their physical activity level.
Sitting Too Long Isn’t Healthy Either
Working non-stop all day to make a living isn’t healthy but neither is sitting six or more hours per day. One solution to sedentary jobs is to take more breaks. For example, research shows taking movement breaks throughout the day improves markers such as blood triglycerides, glucose control, and body weight.
Likewise, people who are physically active at work may need more breaks to rest and recover between times that their active. One way to ensure you take breaks is to set an alarm on your watch or phone to remind you to take a break.
For health, there should be a balance between physical activity and rest. Non-stop physical activity all day is harmful too and can increase the stress hormone cortisol. Plus, the activity some workers do is repetitive, and the monotony creates added mental and physical stress. Plus, if people who do physically demanding jobs also have other unhealthy habits, like using alcohol and smoking, and eating a junk food diet, these factors can enhance their health risks.
What Can You Take Away from This Study and Other Research in this Area?
- You still need structured exercise even if you’re active on the job.
- If you have a sedentary job, you can lower your health risks by taking frequent breaks (every 30 minutes) to move around and stretch.
- Physical activity is key to a long and healthy life. It lowers the risk of chronic health problems and it preserves functionality and prevents frailty.
- There’s no substitute for leisure-time exercise. Even if you work an active, job, make time for a structured workout that includes cardiovascular exercise and strength training.
- Beyond exercise, it’s important to lead an overall healthy lifestyle and manage stress. Repetitive exercise and long periods of exercise without a break, as part of a demanding job, is likely more detrimental than beneficial.
References:
- “The dangers of sitting – Harvard Health.” https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/the-dangers-of-sitting.
- “Sitting risks: How harmful is too much sitting? – Mayo Clinic.” 21 Aug. 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005.
- “Study takes a stand against prolonged sitting: Solutions ….” 06 Feb. 2020, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200206132339.htm.
- “The effects of prolonged sitting, prolonged standing, and ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33395691/.
- “Sitting time and all-cause mortality risk in 222 497 ….” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22450936/.
- European Society of Cardiology. “Leisure physical activity is linked with health benefits but work activity is not.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 April 2021. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210408212952.htm
- “Sitting Disease: How a Sedentary Lifestyle Affects Heart ….” https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/sitting-disease-how-a-sedentary-lifestyle-affects-heart-health.
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