(NewsNation) — Prolonged sitting may increase the risk of heart failure and heart disease, new research shows, a concern for the 18.5 million office workers behind a desk in the U.S.
“Sedentary behavior is broadly associated with future adverse CV (cardiovascular) outcomes, with particularly prominent effects on HF (heart failure) and CV mortality,” the authors wrote in the Nov. 15 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Researchers observed nearly 90,000 middle-aged and older adults wearing wristband sensors that monitored their activity, finding that the median period of inactivity was 9.4 hours a day.
Research participants were followed up with for a decade after the study began.
People who sat for 10.6 hours or more daily had greater risks of developing heart problems. Even people who exercise outside of their excessive sitting periods have some risk.
“Associations with (heart failure) and (cardiovascular) mortality persisted among individuals meeting guideline-recommended MVPA (moderate to vigorous physical activity) levels,” the study said.
“Optimizing sedentary behavior appears to be important even among physically active individuals.”
Sitting too long is generally known to have adverse health effects, but the study helps quantify how long is “too long.”