STILL reeling from the COVID pandemic, we are confronted with an avalanche of cardiovascular disorders and cancers at the hospital setting. With our current environment, work habits, and daily activities, I have noticed with deep interest prolonged sitting and sedentary lifestyle should be addressed so we can protect a lot of people.

The dangers of too much sitting are increasingly clear. Research regularly links a sedentary lifestyle (especially long, uninterrupted bouts of sitting) to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, brain shrinkage, muscle loss, poor posture, back pain, and premature death.

Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns. They include obesity and a cluster of conditions increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and unhealthy cholesterol levels that make up metabolic syndrome.

When you sit, you use less energy than you do when you stand or move.

Any extended sitting such as at a desk, behind a wheel or in front of a screen can be extremely harmful.

A study done by the Mayo Clinic revealed that 50 to 70 percent of people spend six or more hours sitting every day. Plus, 20 to 35 percent of people spend four hours or more watching TV each day. All this non-movement for hours at a time has been linked to health issues like diabetes, cognitive decline, physical disabilities, certain cancers, and even a shorter life expectancy!

Including exercise and physical activity, people across the U.S. only spend approximately three hours out of the day simply standing. This phenomenon has been coined as “Sitting Disease,” which, broadly speaking, is defined as a condition of increased sedentary behavior associated with adverse health effects.

Researchers for many years have analyzed clinical studies of sitting time and activity levels. They found that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to that posed by obesity and smoking.

Too much sitting leads to obesity and obesity leads to a medical condition known as “ metabolic syndrome “ which is prevalent globally and locally. Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that together raise your risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other serious health problems.

You may have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of the following conditions ( Mayo Clinic ).

A large waistline: This is also called abdominal obesity or “having an apple shape.” Extra fat in your stomach area is a bigger risk factor for heart disease than extra fat in other parts of your body.

High blood pressure or hypertension. If your blood pressure rises above 140 over 90 and stays high for a long time, it can damage your heart and blood vessels. High blood pressure can also cause plaque, a waxy substance, to build up in your arteries. Plaque can cause heart and blood vessel diseases such as heart attack or stroke.

High blood sugar or diabetes mellitus: This can damage your blood vessels and raise your risk of getting blood clots. Blood clots can cause heart and blood vessel diseases.

High level of triglycerides: Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. High levels of triglycerides can raise your levels of LDL cholesterol sometimes called bad cholesterol. This raises your risk of heart disease.

Low HDL cholesterol or sometimes called good cholesterol: “ Good” HDL cholesterol can help remove “bad” LDL cholesterol from your blood vessels. “Bad” LDL cholesterol can cause plaque buildup in your blood vessels.

Obesity affects 800 million individuals globally, according to UNICEF (2022). Meanwhile in the Philippines there are around 27 million Filipinos who are obese. In the Philippines, the burden of obesity continues to rise, with the prevalence among adults doubling in the past decade.

The World Health Organization predicts that this number will continue to rise, with 167 million individuals projected to experience declining health due to overweight or obesity by 2025. Obesity is not just about being overweight; it is a chronic disease that affects the whole body.

The prevalence and burden of obesity in the Philippines are alarming, and we need to understand the physiological aspect of obesity to provide appropriate management and care to those affected.

Overall, research seems to point to the fact that less sitting and more moving contribute to better health. You might start by simply standing rather than sitting when you have the chance. Or find ways to walk while you work. For example:

Take a break from sitting every 30 minutes.

Stand while talking on the phone or watching television.

If you work at a desk, try a standing desk or improvise with a high table or counter.

Walk with your colleagues for meetings rather than sitting in a conference room.

Position your work surface above a treadmill with a computer screen and keyboard on a stand or a specialized treadmill ready vertical desk so that you can be in motion throughout the day.

How do you fight sitting disease?

Here are some definitive guidelines we can follow to prevent cardiovascular complications and cancers :

For every hour of sitting, try to get about ten minutes of standing in. For every 30 minutes that you are doing work, there should be 20 minutes of actual computer work, and then a 10-minute break. That 10-minute break should be 8 minutes of standing and two minutes of stretching.Jan 26, 2022

The impact of movement even leisurely movement can be profound. For starters, you’ll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss and increased energy. Also, physical activity helps maintain muscle tone, your ability to move and your mental well-being, especially as you age.

All of these small positive actions add up, and for some people they may result in more energy expenditure than an hour in the gym. To me, the way it works best is to incorporate movement into your life.

Rather than being still, do some activity. Some is better than none, and more is better than some. If you’re moving, you can’t be sitting. Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. With the same habits, you’ll end up with the same results. But with better habits, anything is possible. Your habits shape your identity, and your identity shapes your habits.

Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound and turn into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years.Let’s start now and lead a healthier and happier life.

Health is wealth. By Dr. Tony Leachon

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Anthony C. Leachon, M. D.

Independent Health Reform Advocate

Past President ,
Philippine College of Physicians

Internist – Cardiologist
Manila Doctors Hospital