One hour of moderate physical activity a day is enough to counteract the lethal effects of office hours, a new study shows.
The researchers analyzed data from one million men and women and concluded that people who spend more than eight hours a day without exercise have a higher risk of premature death. The researchers looked at data collected from more than a million people working in offices and found that sitting in a chair in front of a computer for eight hours could increase the risk of dying prematurely by up to 60 percent.
Heart disease and cancer are two of the most common causes of death associated with an inactive lifestyle.
Scientists say that a sedentary lifestyle is as dangerous as smoking and causes more deaths than obesity. However, one hour of walking or cycling a day may be enough to combat the dangers of eight hours at the office.
Researchers say that even a short break for a coffee or a glass of water could reduce the risks. They recommend a break of five minutes for each hour worked, but also to exercise, both at noon and in the evening.
“At least one hour of physical activity a day, such as cycling or a short walk, eliminates the association between the state on the chair and the risk of mortality. You don’t have to do sports, you don’t have to go to the gym, walking is enough. In the morning, at noon or in the evening, after dinner. The movement must last at least an hour in total, “said the study’s coordinator, Professor Ulf Ekelund, of Cambridge University.
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