Mounting evidence suggests that prolonged sitting — a staple of modern-day life — is hazardous to your health, even if you exercise regularly. Based on these findings, doctors advise all adults to sit less and move more. But how often do we need to get up from our chairs? And for how long? Researchers at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center have an answer: Just five minutes of walking every half hour during periods of prolonged sitting can offset some of the most harmful effects. The study, published in ‘Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise’, the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, says that five minutes of walking every 30 minutes significantly lowered both blood sugar and blood pressure. In addition, this walking regimen reduced blood sugar spikes after large meals by 58% compared with sitting all day.
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