While we’ve already learned that sitting too much is bad for our health and waistlines (even if you’re a regular gym rat!), there’s more research telling us to get up off the couch or the desk and move throughout the day.
According to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, spending too much time in front of a TV or a computer screen can increase your risk for heart disease and premature death-from any cause. And just like the sitting research found, how much you workout doesn’t seem to matter.
The study found that those who spend more than four hours in front of the computer or television screen are more than twice as likely to have a major cardiac event that involves hospitalization, death, or both, compared to people who spend less than two hours a day in front of a screen. This negative effect was found even when controlling for smoking, hypertension, BMI and social class- as well as exercise. This is the first study to specifically look at the association between screen time and heart health.
I don’t know about you, but I spend A LOT of time on the computer (my job demands it!), and I like to wind down with a TV show or two at night. I try to break regularly, sit on an exercise ball and stand up at least once every hour, but this additional research on how negative our daily lifestyles may be is quite alarming. Especially since regular workouts don’t seem to help.
Sure does make you want to invest in one of these treadmill desks, doesn’t it? Tell us, do you spend more than two hours in front of a screen a day? How will you get up and move around more and sit less?