Many of the activities we engage with on a daily basis mean we are sitting for hours at a time. Whether it is work, school or leisure activities, the amount of time we spend sedentary is dramatically increasing. Sitting is a perfect example of how poor posture can influence our health.
The link between sitting and obesity
According to research, the biggest difference between people of average weight and those who are overweight isn’t related to diet or exercise, but to the amount of time they are seated. This is because of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, found in the cells that line the tiny blood vessels of muscles and in fatty tissue, where it plays a critical role in the breakdown of fat.
When you stand, the postural muscles that support your weight — mostly in your legs — release this enzyme. When you don’t shift every 30 to 90 seconds, the fat in the arteries and can be stored as body fat. Studies have shown that a typical day of sitting lowers lipoprotein-lipase activity in animals by 90–95 per cent and we can safely assume that the effect is similar in humans.
When we sit we are not contracting our muscles, the muscles that help the body clear blood sugar levels and balance blood-fat levels. Elevated glucose levels can lead to inflammation, which if repeated on a number of days or weeks can lead to heart disease and a host of other conditions, such as cancer. In fact, elevated glucose levels are implicated in almost every chronic disease.
What can you do?
The first step is to move more and sit less. Incorporating movement throughout the day will help to clear blood sugar levels and increase lipoprotein lipase in the blood. A gentle two minute walk every 20 minutes can lower blood-glucose level by around 30%. A 30-60minute workout once a day is not going to underdo 12-16hrs of sitting. Make sure you are incorporating movement throughout the day. A stand-up desk is also a great way to reduce the amount of time sitting.
