PREVIEW

Study Shows How to Offset the Impact of Prolonged Sitting. CNN took a look at a new study which focuses on the health impacts of prolonged sitting and ways people can alleviate some of the increased risk of sedentary jobs. The study was published January 12 in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. For decades, it has been well understood that prolonged sitting can increase the risk of many chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. "We've known for probably about a decade now that sitting increases your risk for most chronic diseases and increases your risk for early death.", "Just like how much fruits and vegetables they should eat and how much exercise they should do, we need to give (people) specific guidance on how to combat the harms of sitting.", Keith Diaz, assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, via CNN. According to the study, five minutes of light walking every half hour is enough to alleviate some of the associated risks. The researchers suggest that the key is breaking up long periods of sitting with some movement. CNN reports that scientists still don't fully understand why prolonged sitting is so harmful. Researchers believe that the cause of the harm may revolve around the role of muscles in regulating things like cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The study's lead author, Keith Diaz, suggests that little "activity snacks" like walking one minute every hour had a significant impact on reducing blood pressure. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT