In people aged over 45, increased time spent sitting daily is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality independent of physical activity level
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Correspondence to: Patricia Manns
Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, 2-50 Corbett Hall, Edmonton, Alberta T6G2G4, Canada; trish.manns{at}ualberta.ca
Commentary on: van der Ploeg HP, Chey T, Korda RJ, et al. Sitting time and all-cause mortality risk in 222 497 Australian adults. Arch Intern Med 2012;172:494–500.
Implications for practice and research
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Encouraging and facilitating a decrease in patients’ sitting time, whether during a hospital stay or in the community, may have important public health implications.
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More research is required to fully determine the impact of greater amounts of sitting on health, and the health effects of an intervention to reduce daily sitting time.
Context
Sedentary behaviour is defined by posture (sitting or lying) and low energy expenditure (<1.5 times the energy expenditure required for rest).1 The health effects of sedentary behaviour or sitting too much are not the same as the health effects of not getting enough moderate intensity physical activity. …
