Sitting all day? Scientists reveal the exact amount of exercise you need to undo the damage

a photo of a woman lacing up her running shoe — (Image credit: Getty Images/PeopleImages)

If, like millions of other Americans, you spend your days sitting at a desk, you’ve probably already heard how bad continuous sitting can be for your health. The good news is, new research has revealed the exact amount of exercise you need to do to undo the damage — read on to find the answer.

Roll back that desk chair and dig out your gym kit, as experts suggest that just 30-40 minutes of physical activity can undo the effects of 10 hours of sitting on the body. Even standing up can help, so now is the time to invest in one of the best standing desks on the market, or even one of the best walking pads.

What are the risks of prolonged sitting?

Extended sitting has been linked to obesity and an increased risk of death from heart disease and cancer. Researchers have concluded, having analyzed 13 studies of sitting time and activity levels of more than one million people, that those who sat for more than eight hours a day, with no physical activity, had a risk of dying similar to the risk posed by obesity and smoking.

What does the study say?

The research findings are based on a meta-analysis of four studies that looked at the fitness tracker data of 44,370 people in four different countries. The analysis found that the risk of death was higher among those with a more sedentary lifestyle.

However, exercise counteracted this — "In active individuals doing about 30-40 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, the association between high sedentary time and risk of death is not significantly different from those with low amounts of sedentary time," the researchers wrote in their paper.

This is broadly in line with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, which recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate activity, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week.

Remember, this doesn’t have to be running or HIIT workouts, simply walking more, taking the stairs, not the elevator, or heading out into the garden and doing 30 minutes of weeding all count! If you’re looking to keep track of your daily movement goals, strapping one of the best fitness trackers to your wrist can help.

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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.

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