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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – New research by UT Southwestern heart specialists shows that sedentary behavior such as sitting for long periods of time at a desk or on the couch is associated with increased amounts of calcium in the arteries, which in turn can lead to higher risk of heart attack.
This was true even among individuals who exercised regularly. Prior studies by the group
showed that excessive sitting is associated with reduced cardiorespiratory fitness and a higher risk of heart disease.
Reducing sitting time by one to two hours per day could improve future cardiovascular health, the researchers say. Even breaking up stretches of sitting can make a difference.
“Try a one to five minute break every 30 minutes. Stand up. Walk up a flight of stairs. All of this helps in a small way. Then get in your strenuous exercise in the evening as well,” says cardiologist Dr. Amit Khera, Director of UT Southwestern’s Preventive Cardiology Program and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Khera holds the Dallas Heart Ball Chair in Hypertension and Heart Disease.
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