The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, and those who strictly follow this recommendation are not considered sedentary.
A study published in the scientific journal Nature Reviews Cardiology in 2021 found that even people who engage in physical activities can be sedentary.
According to endocrinologist Gisele Lorenzoni, researchers discovered that sitting for long periods can interfere with health. "They observed that if a person has a sedentary behavior outside of workout hours, there can be negative impacts on health," says the doctor.
The research observed that sitting affects cardiovascular health significantly. "Due to sitting for long periods, blood circulation can be affected, and consequently, the heart," emphasizes Gisele. Additionally, this condition can affect the spine, cause back pain; in short, today the order is to move," she explains.
What also happens is that currently, with technological conveniences, various actions in our daily lives have been eliminated. "Today, people work in front of computers, cell phones, televisions have remote controls; homes have elevators; various routine actions like getting up to turn on a TV have been set aside due to this technological advancement that is harming health," says the endocrinologist.
For Gisele, the ideal is not to stop exercising in daily life for overall health and also to avoid sedentary behavior when not exercising. "It is still unclear how long we can sit, but another study published in The American Journal of Clinical suggests that in a nine-hour period, it is recommended to take a break every 30 minutes and walk for at least one minute and 40 seconds," she explains.
Thus, the tip is to move, and for those who are not engaged in any physical activity, it is still important not to remain still. "Regular exercise prevents heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, depression, and improves memory because you also exercise brain health," she points out.
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