Standing and exercise linked to lower odds of obesity

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/acs-sae110315.php

Public Release: 3-Nov-2015
Standing and exercise linked to lower odds of obesity
Standing one-quarter of the time linked to 32 percent reduced likelihood of obesity
American Cancer Society

Standing for at least one-quarter of the day has been linked to lower odds of obesity in a new study led by the American Cancer Society in collaboration with The Cooper Institute, the University of Texas, and the University of Georgia. The study appears in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

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The study found that among men, standing a quarter of the time was linked to a 32% reduced likelihood of obesity (body fat percentage). Standing half the time was associated with a 59% reduced likelihood of obesity. But standing more than three-quarters of the time was not associated with a lower risk of obesity.

In women, standing a quarter, half, and three quarters of the time was associated with 35%, 47%, and 57% respective reductions in the likelihood of abdominal obesity (waist circumference). No relationship between standing and metabolic syndrome was found among women or men.

Researchers also investigated whether physical activity in conjunction with standing provided additional reduction in risk. They found that among those meeting physical activity guidelines (150 minutes of moderate activity and/or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per day) the addition of standing time was associated with incremental drops in the likelihood of all obesity measures and metabolic syndrome in both women and men. For example, men meeting physical activity guidelines and standing a quarter to half of the time had a 57% reduced likelihood for abdominal obesity, whereas those meeting guidelines and standing three quarters of the time or more had a 64% lower odds for abdominal obesity.

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