Sitting down is the new, modern day smoking.
Today most people are much more aware of the impact of lifestyle on health. Getting to sit down all day probably seems like heaven to most; however several reports have shown how bad sitting down all day really is for our health.
We have known for a while now that lack of exercise is a contributing factor towards many lifestyle diseases, and a new Korean study adds to picture showing that sitting frequently is linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Jamie Seidel from News Corp published the story on the 23rd of September, 2015:
“A study of 140,000 Korean adults linked decreased physical activity and extended periods of sitting down with the growing prevalence of the liver condition.”
The fact is that our modern lifestyles do not reflect what our bodies are designed to do. Sedentary lifestyles and jobs that include a lot of sitting down are simply un-natural. The human body is not designed to sit in a chair nor is it designed to be seated for long periods.
We are designed to be active and mobile:
“Our body is designed to move and it is not surprising that sedentary behaviour, characterised by low muscle activity, has a direct impact on physiology.”
The results of the study are not just looking at people that are typically seen as unhealthy. The results are showing up in people who are both overweight and those who appear healthy. Researchers warn that this means that regular exercise is not enough, and we need to change our lifestyles too:
“And over-sitting is even affecting those not regarded as being overweight or obese. So regular workouts are not enough. We simply have to get off our butts more, the study states.”
And inactivity is a killer. In Australia 14,000 people die every year in Australia from sedentary lifestyle related conditions, says Heart Foundation CEO Mary Barry. To further add to the seriousness of concern, Barry adds that sitting down is the new, modern day smoking.
