Why we should sit less and move more
Our special guest contributor, Catherine McCabe, Lecturer in Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation at Teesside University, shares her top tips on how to sit less and move more this National Walking Month.
Physical inactivity is now identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. However, it is one of the main modifiable risk factors. Approximately 31% of the global population does not engage in sufficient physical activity. This is known to contribute to the death of approximately 3.2 million people every year and has major implications on the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) (Park, et al. 2020).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that physical activity has significant health benefits for hearts, bodies, and minds, and recommends that adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. The term physical activity is commonly confused with sport, however. This distinction is of importance concerning public health messages, since some people may fear the term “sport” while what is required is a higher or regular amount of physical activity participation (Thivel, et al. 2018).
Barriers to Physical Activity
One of the most cited reasons for people not taking part in exercise or physical activity is time. The average amount of time people spend at work is 35 hours per week, 1795 hours per year and this doesn’t account for the time commuting on either side. On average, people sit for 8.9 hours per day. According to a research from the British Heart Foundation, sitting for more than 4 hours a day can lead to reduced metabolic rate, an increase in insulin and blood pressure levels, and, the enzymes responsible for breaking down harmful blood fats shut down too. These issues can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, back problems, muscle degeneration, depression, and dementia.
National Walking Month
National Walking Month, organised by the charity Living Streets, is a public health awareness campaign celebrating the many health and happiness benefits of walking. It encourages people in Britain to fit 20 minutes of walking into their day throughout May, as this can reduce the risk of preventable health conditions, including certain cancers, depression, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Research has shown that regular movement throughout the working day leads to better health, increased ability to concentrate, and increased motivation.
Did you know that we burn an average of 50 more calories per hour when standing rather than sitting?
How to sit less and move more:
Small changes can be made, whether working from home or in the office, to make you more active.
- Take a walk at lunchtime
- Walk and talk meetings
- Park a little further away from work to give yourself the opportunity to walk more to the office
- Use the stairs instead of the lift
- Walk to a colleague’s desk instead of emailing
- Stand whilst on the phone
- Stand during presentations
- Do some stretches at your desk
- Set an alarm on your phone or smartwatch so that you move for 2-3 minutes every 30 minutes
Or you could set up small challenges to get your colleagues involved!
Set a step challenge to track how many steps each person walks or runs each day. Free apps are available for workplace step challenges, so you can try and hit a personal goal each day or compete against your colleagues. You can create teams and also see leaderboards to make it fun!
About the Author
Catherine McCabe (MSc Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation; BSc Sports Science), has worked in the industry for 14 years in private practice and with professional sports teams. Alongside being a lecturer in Sports Therapy and Rehab for the past 10 years.
References
British Heart Foundation. Available at https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/activity/sitting-down. Last accessed 17 April 2024.
Park, J.A., Moon, J.H., Kim, H.J., Kong, M.H., and Oh, Y.H. (2020) Sedentary Lifestyle: Overview of Updated Evidence of Potential Health Risks. Korean Journal of Family Medicine. 41(6): 365-373
Thivel, D., Tremblay, A., Genin, P.M., Panahi, S., Riviere, D., and Duclos, M. (2018). Physical Activity, Inactivity, and Sedentary Behaviours: Definitions and Implications in Occupational Health. Available at 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00288. Last accessed 17 April 2024
On Your Feet Britain. Available at https://yo-yodesk.co.uk/pages/get-britain-standing. Last accessed 17 April 2024
WHO Guidelines for Physical Activity, 2022. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity. Last accessed 15 April 2024
National Walk Month Media Pack, 2024. Available at https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/media/y2rfuqrh/national-walking-month-2024-media-pack.pdf. Last accessed 3 May 2024