Research

Adherence

High levels of objectively measured sedentary time are associated with significantly increased all-cause mortality risk, independent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).

If you are over 50, simply exercising for an hour a day may not be enough to eliminate the mortality risks associated with sitting for the rest of the day. You should actively break up long periods of sitting, regardless of your exercise routine, as prolonged sedentary time independently increases the risk of death.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Our study suggests that sedentary behavior is a risk factor for mortality independent of MVPA.
Annemarie Koster et al. · PLoS ONE · 2012

Why this rating

Large, nationally representative sample (NHANES) with objective accelerometry measurement, though follow-up is relatively short (2.8 years).

Source

Association of Sedentary Time with Mortality Independent of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity

Annemarie Koster et al. · PLoS ONE · 2012

cohort · n=1906Cited 340×
Read the paper

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →