Most of us try our best to balance out the sedentary aspects of our lives with physical activity. But even the most active spend considerably more time sitting than moving. Data from accelerometers suggest most middle-aged and older adults spend 11 to 12 hours a day (65 to 75 per cent of time awake) sedentary and less than 30 minutes engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Work and commuting account for much of our sedentary time. Though it’s possible to change some aspects of how much time is spent behind a desk, in a car or on public transportation, much of today’s workforce sits for the majority of day.

Given our sedentary lifestyle, researchers have been trying to pinpoint exactly how much activity it takes to negate the health consequences of hours spent sitting. Don’t confuse the amount of time it takes to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer with the metabolic, vascular and inflammatory consequences of too much time being stationary. It has long been postulated that 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous activity isn’t enough movement to conquer a lifestyle with high levels of sedentary behaviour.

The debate about whether even large amounts of exercise is effective at combating a sitting lifestyle is ongoing. In a........

© Montreal Gazette