A new study suggests that being a couch or computer potato for long periods is hazardous to your cardiovascular health. Overweight people who sit for prolonged periods, whether in front of the TV or working at a computer, should stop and take short walking breaks every 20 minutes to avoid spikes in glucose and insulin levels, according to a new study in the March issue of Diabetes Care. The 19 overweight or obese subjects in this trial were subjected to three different trial situations. The first involved a long period (up to seven hours) of uninterrupted sitting; the second kept them seated with 2 minutes of of light-intensity walking every 20 minutes; and in the third, they were seated with 2-minutes of moderate-intensity walking every 20 minutes. Each subject received a high sugar, high fat test drink after an initial 2-hour period of uninterrupted sitting and then glucose and insulin levels were measured for each of the three treatments. In both the light intensity and moderate-intensity treatment sessions, the obese/overweight subjects had lower glucose and insulin levels than when they were in the uninterrupted sitting session.
The researchers, led by Dr. David Dunston of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, conclude that when sitting for long hours, periodic breaks can help reduce cardiovascular risks and can potentially be an important public health intervention strategy.
What you can do: If you sit for long hours at a computer desk or another "desk" job, or if you like to spend your entire evening in front of the TV, get up and take a walk (or exercise in place) every 20 minutes, for several minutes. It will not only burn some calories, but could possibly lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
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