Is Awareness of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes from Physical Inactivity in the Home and Workplace Well Recognized?

Abstract

Most recommendations from governmental agencies and the American Heart Association have focused on daily exercise regimens as a means to achieve good cardiovascular health and diminish risk of premature mortality. It has recently become apparent that physical inactivity marked by excessive sitting and/or lying down is a major risk for the worldwide growing epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes. This epidemic cannot be addressed by short term exercise if the rest of the day is spent in physical inactivity. Even when recognized, interventions to limit sitting time have failed to achieve major success because of the strong behavioral affinity to sit. In this paper, we propose that physical inactivity can be tolerated if an effortless, simulated jogging device that does not require multitasking is used at least two hours daily. Since watching television and/or a computer screen takes up several hours daily for most individuals, this recommendation is easily accomplished during such activities.

Physical Activity and Sitting Durations Among Employers and Employees of Microenterprises

“…Reducing workplace sitting time is known to contribute to improved health [15]. It is reported that replacing two hours of sitting with light movement, such as standing or stepping, may lead to better cardiometabolic risk biomarkers [16].…”