Sitting Too Much Can Increase the Risk of Heart Problems — Even if You Work Out at the End of the Day, Study Says

People who sit at a desk all day face a greater risk for heart disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Even if those desk dwellers do exercise, they still have higher chances of being diagnosed with stroke, heart attack and heart failure in later years.

“Our findings really emphasize the importance of avoiding excess sitting… whether or not you’re physically active,” said first study author Dr. Ezim Ajufo, a cardiology fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, per CNN.

The study gathered data from nearly 90,000 people who wore accelerometers for a week. Their results were then used to compare their sedentary and active time with later diagnoses of stroke heart attack and heart failure.

The study also suggested general guidelines for how much time should be spent in a sedentary position: 10.6 hours a day. “That’s not a hard and fast threshold, but we think it’s a reasonable first step for guidelines and public health intervention,” said Ajufo.

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Still, the study confirmed a need for more research into the exact risks and what qualifies as too much sitting, said Dr. Keith Diaz, associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, who was not affiliated with the study.

Diaz noted that this was an observational study, and as a result, cannot prove that sitting was the cause of the heart disease. However, muscles are vital in regulating blood sugar and fat levels and need movement to do that job properly. “Taking movement breaks is a way to give your muscles the stimulation they need to do their jobs, and it doesn’t take much,” Diaz said.

While some may believe getting a standing desk would eliminate the problem, Diaz said that doesn’t solve the problem of lack of movement. Instead, he suggested that people get a bike or treadmill desk or find time in their day to incorporate movement, like going for a walk.

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Ajufo confirmed that the study found that an end-of-day workout won’t necessarily reverse the negative effects of sitting for long periods.

“Sometimes we think we can completely make up for some of the unhealthy behaviors we have … by going out and going for a run,” she said, per CNN. “What we can say from the findings is that moderate to vigorous physical activity — so that’s running, a brisk walk — is not sufficient to neutralize the harmful effects of sitting.”

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While exercise can’t undo the negative effects, it is still a good idea and will help people in other ways. “You’re still better off than the person who sat all day then didn’t exercise,” Diaz said.

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