A new study warns that sitting for 10 hours or more a day can increase the risk of heart failure, even for those who exercise regularly. According to research conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States, the duration of sedentary time significantly raises the risk of heart disease. While 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week is recommended, the effects of inactivity on heart health are often overlooked.
The study, published in the JACC journal, analyzed health data from 90,000 participants in the UK Biobank. The participants, with an average age of 62, were monitored for seven days using wrist-worn accelerometers. About 56% of participants were women, and their average daily sedentary time was found to be around 9.4 hours.
The research showed that the risk of heart diseases, such as atrial fibrillation (AF), myocardial infarction (MI), and heart failure (HF), increased as sedentary time rose. In particular, the risk of heart failure and heart disease sharply increased when sedentary time exceeded 10.5 hours per day.
According to the study, while those who engaged in the recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity showed reduced risks for AF and MI, the risk of heart failure and death from heart disease remained high. This highlights the importance of reducing sedentary time as much as physical activity.
Co-author Shaan Khurshid emphasized the need for public health policies to focus on reducing sedentary behavior. Khurshid suggested that not exceeding 10.6 hours of inactivity per day could be a minimal target for heart health.
Charles Eaton from Brown University's Family Medicine Department noted that the study provides strong evidence of the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle on health, saying, "We need to encourage people to move more for better health."
The researchers acknowledged limitations in the accelerometers used, such as the potential to inaccurately detect posture. However, the study is seen as an important step in supporting the strong link between sedentary living and heart health.
