There have been numerous studies done on the effect of sitting all day, and all of them come to the conclusion that it is very bad for our bodies. In the beginning it was assumed that if you mixed in some exercise, it would negate the effects of sitting, but then there was a study that reported it had little effect overall. Now another study comes along and says that negative effects can be offset with as little as ten minutes of walking every day. Or, is it possible to just fidget our way out of the inevitable repercussions?
So, what to believe?
To assist the rest of us, Lynne Shallcross, of NPR, has written an article debunking some of the reports of recent years. Spoiler: don’t sit too much, and the answer is up to the individual.
Often people want tips and tricks. You know, get a phone with a long cord, get a treadmill desk, get a bouncy ball, get a standing desk, get this, get that. Like anything that’s important in our lives, the solution is not tips and tricks. The solution is a proper, sustained assault on the problem.
Read more on at the NPR web site.