According to a recent article, “Researchers at UT Southwestern have previously shown that excessive sitting is associated with reduced cardiorespiratory fitness and a higher risk of heart disease. The latest research — part of UT Southwestern’s Dallas Heart Study — points to a likely mechanism by which sitting leads to heart disease.”

The article continues, ”

The researchers concluded that reducing daily “sitting time” by even 1 to 2 hours per day could have a significant and positive impact on future cardiovascular health, and called for additional studies into novel interventions to reduce sedentary behaviors. For the many individuals with a desk job that requires them to sit for large portions of the day, they suggested taking frequent breaks. ‘Try a one to five minute break every hour. Stand up. Walk up a flight of stairs. All of this helps in a small way. Then get in your strenuous exercise in the evening as well,’ said Dr. Julia Kozlitina, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and Clinical Sciences and with the Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development.”

The study claims, “‘We observed a significant association between increased sedentary time and coronary artery calcium,” said Dr. Khera, who holds the 2013 Dallas Heart Ball Chair in Hypertension and Heart Disease. “These associations were independent of exercise, traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and socioeconomic factors. This research suggests that increased subclinical atherosclerosis characterized by calcium deposition is one of the mechanisms through which sedentary behavior increases cardiovascular risk and that this risk is distinct from the protective power of exercise.'”

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UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Sedentary lifestyle associated with coronary artery calcium, researchers find.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160427221204.htm>.