Improve Your Health by Walking and Standing

A new study shows that walking and standing can reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

An improved physique (about 3 inches off your waistline per 2 hours) can be achieved by walking and standing around your house or office each day.

Individuals who spend less time sitting and more time wandering or walking are more likely to be thinner, healthier and at lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, which is a wonderful achievement for fairly all adults.

As a matter of fact, activity monitors were used to record the activity of 782 men and women for a week, evaluating the time-frame where every subject was either lying down, standing, sitting or walking.

The scientists who used this particular estimation technique compared the collected data with each volunteer’s blood pressure, weight, waist circumference and height, and took blood samples to check their sugar, cholesterol and fat levels.

The results were astonishing, as the team from the University of Queensland, Australia, discovered that people who would stand rather than sit developed, roughly, less fat in the blood, lower blood sugar and less cholesterol interfering with their circulatory systems.

According to statistics, people spend 9 hours on average sitting down, meaning 60 per cent of the time they spend awake.

The scientific journal European Heart showed throughout the study that individuals who would spend 2 hours longer each day walking instead of sitting had smaller waistlines, by 7.5 centimeters no less, and a lower body mass index, by 11 per cent.

Thus, imagine the beneficial aspects of a long walk in the park each day, instead of spending too much time sitting on your couch.

Dr. Genevieve Healy, researcher at Queensland University, reported that they had found out that time spent standing rather than sitting was associated with lower degrees of blood fats and blood sugar.

The researcher also said that replacing sitting time with stepping and/or walking would lead to a noticeable reduction in waistline and BMI (body mass index).

So, a non-sedentary lifestyle influences people who are willing to change their bad habits in an immensely advantageous way.

Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, from the Mayo College of Medicine, Minnesota, contributed with his statement, in an editorial published with the study:

“The fight against sedentary behavior cannot be won based only on the promotion of regular exercise”.

So, the team of researchers suggested that employees who spend a lot of time standing in front of a computer should, for instance, dedicate some of their time to walk around the office.

Dr. Healy said that walking and standing would definitely benefit one’s heart and metabolism, concluding with a motto:

“Get up for your heart health and move for your waistline.”

Photo Credits rand.org