Health Risks for Aging Couch Potatoes
Most Canadians spend at least half our waking hours sitting…
“Please sit quietly!” Do you remember this request as a child – and finding it almost impossible to do? Coincidentally, we got so much better at it as we grew older!
Well, it turns out this is one skill we shouldn’t be practicing to perfection as we age into our 50+ and senior years. Studies show that too many of us spend too much time being “sedentary” – sitting or lying down and expending very little energy. In fact, most Canadians spend at least half our waking hours sitting. That includes the hours we spend commuting, at work and during leisure time (watching television and computer screens, reading and dining).
Too much time spent sitting can increase our risk for heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, depression and other mental health concerns, and cancer.
What’s more, even mature adults and senior citizens who exercise for the minimum recommended 150 minutes a week are still at risk of poor health if they regularly sit for long stretches of time. That may come as a a surprise to people who think that as long as they’re getting some regular exercise, it doesn’t matter what they do – or don’t do – the rest of the time.
What the research tells us:
- We need to think about sitting less – not just exercising more – to change our sedentary behavior.
- Step counters such as pedomoters or accelerometers help to reduce sedentary time.
- Setting a goal – for example 10,000 steps a day – helps reduce sedentary time even more, particularly if the goal is customized to the needs and abilities of the individual.
Health Risks for Aging Couch Potatoes article source Sitting too much? Take steps to support healthy aging by McMaster Optimal Aging Portal
Visit the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal online at www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org for more information. The Portal is a free website for seniors that provides evidence-based information about healthy aging.
