If you're sitting down, don't sit still, new research suggests

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/uol-iys092115.php

Public Release: 23-Sep-2015
If you're sitting down, don't sit still, new research suggests
University of Leeds

New research suggests that the movements involved in fidgeting may counteract the adverse health impacts of sitting for long periods.

In a study published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a team of researchers, co-led by the University of Leeds and UCL, report that an increased risk of mortality from sitting for long periods was only found in those who consider themselves very occasional fidgeters.

They found no increased risk of mortality from longer sitting times, compared to more active women, in those who considered themselves as moderately or very fidgety.

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Study co-lead author Professor Janet Cade, from the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds said: "While further research is needed, the findings raise questions about whether the negative associations with fidgeting, such as rudeness or lack of concentration, should persist if such simple movements are beneficial for our health."

Even among adults who meet recommended physical activity levels and who sleep for eight hours per night, it is possible to spend the vast majority of the day (up to 15 hours) sitting down.

The study builds on growing evidence suggesting that a sedentary lifestyle is bad for your health, even if you are physically active outside work.

Breaks in sitting time have previously been shown to improve markers of good health, such as body mass index and your body's glucose and insulin responses.

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