NCD Watch

Sit Less for Better Health

31 Jul 2017 (Mon)

Many people spend too much of their waking time sitting or doing other sedentary activities, either for work or recreation. Globally, around 1 in 4 adults is not active enough.

In Hong Kong, data from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveys also showed that about one-quarter of community-dwelling people aged 18-64 had inadequate aerobic physical activity and high sitting time (i.e. sitting 480 minutes or more per day on average).

Emerging evidence suggests that too much sitting, as distinct from too little physical activity, would compromise cardiovascular and metabolic health. Regardless of physical activity level, higher total or prolonged sitting time are associated with increased risks for cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality, cancer incidence and mortality, type 2 diabetes incidence, metabolic syndrome incidence, as well as all-cause mortality.

As prolonged sitting harms health, here are some tips for limiting chair-time and incorporating stand-ups and small walks into daily routines —

• Stand on bus, train or tram instead of sitting.
• Stand or pace around while watching television or during commercial breaks.
• Stand up while folding laundry, ironing or performing other sit-down tasks.
• Stand up and pace around while talking on the phone.
• Hand-deliver messages to colleagues rather than use the phone or emails, if possible in the workplace.
• Stand and walk around the room when waiting for meetings to start. Take a stand and stretch break during meetings.