Is Your Desk Job Killing You?

What’s the Latest Development?

Health researchers have long examined the effects of physical activity on our well being but scientists have just recently begun to study the consequences of sitting at a desk all day. According to Dr. Mark Tremblay, an obesity researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute: “The average person now spends 9.3 hours a day sitting. People who sit for six or more hours per day are 40 per cent more likely to die within 15 years compared to someone who sits less than three hours a day, even if they exercise.”

What’s the Big Idea?

A great deal of research has been done on the consequence of things that people should do, but which many do not. Regular exercise, for instance, is known to benefit your health but how does going from office chair to sofa—a more common ritual—influence your well being? According to Tremblay’s research, “People who jog for half an hour in the morning and then sit at a desk all day may be no better off than those who don’t go running.” More research into sedentary behavior is expect soon.

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