HHS HealthBeat (August 13, 2010)

Men in chairs

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

The pull of the chair is powerful and unhealthy. Researchers saw it in data on physical activity and sedentary living from the Cooper Institute in Dallas.

Men who sat more than 23 hours a week had a 64 percent greater risk of dying of heart disease than those who sat 11 hours or less.

And, while more active men had less risk, the study found signs that even these more active men might have risk if they also sit a lot.

At the University of South Carolina, Tatiana Warren:

"Yes, it’s important to be regularly active, and try to increase your physical activity. Sitting too much is potentially harmful for us." (8 seconds)

The study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 21, 2011