Here’s a New Warning That Sitting Too Much Can Be Deadly

Sitting for long stretches of time is linked to heart disease, an increased risk of diabetes and a higher risk of death from any cause, researchers warn.

In a new science advisory from the American Heart Association, researchers summarized existing evidence to conclude that sitting can be problematic for health, advising: “Sit less, move more.”

Studies show that less time spent sitting correlates to better psychological well-being and better health-related quality of life, while more sitting time is “positively associated with depressive symptoms,” the advisory found. Sitting has a negative impact on the heart no matter how much physical activity a person gets otherwise, the researchers found.

Still, more research is needed to determine just how much sitting time is safe, the researchers said.

The latest advisory comes after researchers at the University of Exeter and University College London concluded that sitting time was not associated with increased mortality risk after tracking the work, TV-watching and other sitting habits of over 5,000 people for more than a decade and a half.