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Prolonged sedentary time associated with chronic disease risks
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Extended sedentary time was linked to harmful health outcomes, irrespective of physical activity, according to a recent study in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Using published, English-language studies from MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Web of Knowledge and Google Scholar databases, researchers evaluated 47 studies on the association between sedentary behavior and various health outcomes. Researchers defined sedentary behavior as waking behaviors categorized by minimal physical movement and low energy expenditure, such as a reclined position, watching television and sitting. Health outcomes included all-cause hospitalizations, cancer incidence, cardiovascular disease incidence (including diabetes), cancer mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality and all-cause mortality.
Results demonstrated substantial hazard ratio associations with all-cause mortality (HR=1.240; 95% CI, 1.09-1.41), cardiovascular disease mortality (HR=1.179; 95% CI, 1.106-1.257), cancer mortality (HR=1.173; 95% CI, 1.108-1.242), cardiovascular disease incidence (HR=1.143; 95% CI, 1.002-1.729), cancer incidence (HR= 1.13; 95% CI, 1.053-1.213) and type 2 diabetes incidence (HR= 1.91; 95% CI, 1.642 to 2.222).
Hazard ratios associated with sedentary time and outcomes were more distinct at lower levels of physical activity than at higher levels, according to researchers.
“What should be really be done is three levels of change,” researcher Aviroop Biswas, BSc, told Healio Family Medicine. “Policymakers should consider interventions or ways to make sitting a public health concern. Then physicians, clinicians, scientists and others should consider incorporating more messaging or tips in their own practices. It is up to the patient to also change the way they do things.”
Aviroop Biswas
In an accompanying editorial, Brigid M. Lynch, PhD, of Cancer Council Victoria, and Neville Owen, PhD, of Behavioural and Generational Change Program, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, both of Melbourne, Australia, said the heterogeneity of data to assess sedentary behavior limited the study.
“Future research should integrate objective activity monitoring into study methods,” they said. “The potential for innovative approaches to reduce health risks of too much sitting, particularly for primary prevention, is considerable, but such approaches should be based on strong evidence.”
For more information:
Biswas A. Ann Intern Med. 2015;doi:10.7326/M14-1651.
Lynch BM. Ann Intern Med. 2015;doi:10.7326/M14-2552.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.