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Patterns of Sedentary Behavior and Mortality in U.S. Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Sean

Senior Member
Messages
7,378
Patterns of Sedentary Behavior and Mortality in U.S. Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A National Cohort Study

Conclusion:
Both the total volume of sedentary time and its accrual in prolonged, uninterrupted bouts are associated with all-cause mortality, suggestive that physical activity guidelines should target reducing and interrupting sedentary time to reduce risk for death.

http://annals.org/aim/article/26537...havior-mortality-u-s-middle-aged-older-adults

https://www.theguardian.com/society...mit-effects-of-sedentary-lifestyle-says-study
Translation: Both total physical activity, and time between periods of physical activity, affect mortality.

So the lesson for us is to spread our activity out over the day, as much as practically possible, with no more than 30 minutes between periods of activity. (I am taking inactivity or sedentary to mean lying or sitting down.)

Even if it doesn't help increase our activity level ceiling, it will help reduce the adverse impact of low activity levels.
 

RogerBlack

Senior Member
Messages
902
I am reminded of the various studies for beer (and other alcohol intake) being healthy at low levels, due to survey results.

It turns out that when you actually look at the results very carefully, very ill people don't drink.
Meaning the cohort of people who don't drink has more very ill people in it, making it look like not drinking makes you unhealthy.
 

Sean

Senior Member
Messages
7,378
Cause or consequence?

Quite possibly both, but all things considered (including general physiological research) I think it is reasonable to assume it plays at least a significant causal role.