Why is sitting for long periods so bad for me?

Sitting for long periods of time can do multiple things to your body. Research now says that “sitting is the new smoking.” Not only will sitting weaken your core muscles which in turn can cause back, neck, and shoulder issues but it can also weaken your heart function and cause cardiovascular disease.

According to Dr. James Levine, inventor of the treadmill desk, “sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.”

Sitting is the new smoking because it:

• Increases the risk of obesity
• Increases the risk of developing multiple cancers including colon, endometrial and lung. For every two hours spent sitting in front of the computer or television, the average person raises his or her risk of colon cancer by 8 percent, of endometrial cancer by 10 percent and of lung cancer by 6 percent.
• Increases the risk of developing heart disease by 90 percent.
• Increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 2 times.
• Increases the risk of developing depression.