Move that body


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The bad news is that daily exercise alone may not be enough to combat a sedentary lifestyle. The good news is that regular exercise ‘snacks’ and active breaks can be literal lifesavers.

A few years ago, the headline being shouted across the globe was ‘sitting is the new smoking’. These articles warned us that the habits of modern life were quietly
killing us. ‘It’s death by sofa,’ we were told. ‘Stop sitting so much,’ we were told. So, many of started getting up earlier and doing an hour in the gym before heading to the office and sitting at our desks for eight, nine, 10 hours. Turns out it’s not enough though. We’re still sitting our way to early ill health and death. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says inactivity and sedentary lifestyles is one of the main risk factors for health problems and premature death. Many hours spent sitting increases overall risk of mortality by up to 40% (Journal of the American College of Cardiology). Here in Aotearoa, the most recent NZ Health Survey found that 46.6% of adult Kiwis met physical activity guidelines (i.e. did at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity, spread out over the past week). This is down from 50.9% in 2018/19.

What is a sedentary lifestyle?
It is important to draw a distinction between a sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity. Inactivity is defined as a level of daily movement below the healthy recommendations (a minimum of 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise). Sedentary refers to the hours of the day when we are sitting or lying down. This includes time spent commuting and at work, or at home reading, using a phone or watching television.

Previously, people believed they only had to follow physical activity recommendations to stay healthy. However, research in recent years has shown that sedentary lifestyles can actually counteract the beneficial effects of regular physical activity.

Even if a person does 30 minutes of daily physical activity or 7000 steps, sitting for eight hours or more each day is still considered sedentary.
While vigorous exercise can help mitigate some of the negative effects of sedentary lifestyles, reducing total time spent sitting is also essential.

Active breaks and ‘exercise snacks’
Experts suggest that a good way to mitigate these risks is to take short breaks with movement throughout the day.

According to a 2021 study, so-called “active breaks” or “exercise snacks” improve cardiometabolic capacity. In 2024, a review concluded that taking three to four minute high-intensity active breaks three times a day decreased the risk of cardiovascular disease and death from cancer. As well, they are a way to improve cardiovascular fitness, metabolic capacity and muscle function.

What kind of exercise is best?
A recent study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports compared the effectiveness of various activities for glucose control in overweight young men. The researchers divided volunteers into four groups: one group sat for eight hours or more a day; another group took a 30-minute walking break; the third group went for a three-minute walk every 45 minutes; and the fourth group did 10 squats every 45 minutes.

They concluded that performing 10 squats, or walking for three minutes every 45 minutes, is more effective than walking for half an hour at a time in managing blood sugar levels.

An accessible solution
It is crucial to adopt more active lifestyle habits to mitigate the risks of a sedentary lifestyle. While the WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, it is also important to incorporate exercise and some strength work.

If this is not possible, then incorporate moderate to high intensity exercise snacks at home or in the office. Active breaks of one to three minutes every 45 minutes or every hour are sufficient.

In addition to the 10 squats, other alternatives are climbing stairs, taking short walks, jumping in place or walking with long strides. Remember that these small, daily doses of effort have great health benefits, improving cardiovascular function, metabolic capacity and muscle function.


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