10 Sep Take a Short Walk: Don’t Sit For Long Periods of Time

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Saurabh S. Thosar, Ph.D.,
Postdoctoral Researcher
Oregon Institute for Occupational Health Sciences,
Oregon Health & Science University

Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Thosar: We discovered that 3 hours of sitting leads to an impairment in shear rate and an impairment in femoral artery endothelial function. When systematic breaks are added in the sitting time the shear rate and the endothelial function are preserved.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Thosar: We had involved inactive participants in this study. The best take away message would be – don’t sit for long durations at one time. Regular breaks from sitting albeit for 5 minutes can help preserve vascular function. It is probably simpler to tell someone to break sitting time than to exercise.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Thosar: Future research must involve longer hours of sitting and look at the blood biomarkers during sitting.

Citation:

Effect of Prolonged Sitting and Breaks in Sitting Time on Endothelial Function
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2014

Last Updated on October 24, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD