Most experts agree that getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week is very important for a person’s overall health. About 23% of Americans were able to achieve this. But if you spend most of the rest of your time sitting, you’re probably what scientists now call an “active couch potato.”
A broad new study, published in the journal Exercise & Exercise Medicine & Science, has found that a lot of people who spend time exercising also end up spending a lot of time sitting. These people, known to researchers as active couch potatoes, were found to have elevated blood sugar, cholesterol, and body fat.
There is plenty of evidence that exercise, and any form of physical activity more broadly, benefits our health. This is undeniable. But our society is becoming more and more sedentary at work, leisure or in transport. We spend more and more time sitting.”
Here’s what the new study says about the consequences of being an active couch potato and recommendations for leading a healthier lifestyle.
What Does It Mean to Be an Active Couch Potato?
In the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 3,700 men and women in Finland. Among the study participants, the researchers defined four types of people. Those who found time to exercise but sat the rest of the time were awarded the title of “active couch potato”.
More specifically, the researchers define an active couch potato as someone who exercises for 30 minutes and then sits for 10 hours or more for the rest of the day. Overall, these individuals spent less than 220 minutes a day on light exercise, which included exercises such as getting up to go to the bathroom and walking to the kitchen to get snacks.
Justin explained that researchers noted that active couch potatoes often squeeze out workout time throughout the day, but sit most of the time. This can mean sitting in front of a computer at work, driving or returning home, and sitting in front of a computer at night while watching TV.
“While active enough, active couch potatoes spend the longest amount of sedentary time each day,” the study said. ”
The other populations in the study were “sedentary light exercisers,” “sedentary exercisers,” and “exercisers” — all of whom typically do more activities throughout the day, such as moving around or doing chores.
“Sedentary light exercisers, sedentary exercisers and exercisers reduced sedentary time by engaging in more low-intensity physical activity compared to active couch potatoes, and there were favorable differences in their cardiometabolic health measures,” the study said. ”
After analyzing all four types of people, the researchers concluded that “after taking into account sleep time and cardiorespiratory fitness, activity during waking is characterized by more low-intensity physical activity, which is associated with less sedentary time, associated with better cardiometabolic health”.
Health Conditions Are Associated with an Active Couch Potato Lifestyle
While the study measured indicators such as elevated blood sugar, cholesterol, and body fat, it did not directly link active couch potatoes to specific health conditions.
The main risk is cardiovascular disease in the general population. “This refers to heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, among others. Studies have also found a link between prolonged sitting and back pain.
From a biological point of view, we still don’t quite understand why sitting for long periods of time can be bad for our health. What we know so far is that the balance between sitting and physical activity is important. The “huge imbalance” between sedentary and physical activity appears to be associated with poor cardiometabolic health.
In general, the body loves sports. And, when you don’t exercise regularly, it’s not good for your overall health. If you sit all day after exercising, then your flexibility will decrease and your muscles will atrophy. You end up not getting the full benefits out of the workout program you do.
How to Avoid Being an Active Couch Potato
If you spend a lot on the couch for work or other reasons, there are steps you can take to help you reduce your sedentary lifestyle.
That doesn’t mean you can’t sit. On the contrary, people should take every opportunity to be active.
Some options to consider include parking your car in the empty spot furthest from your destination, taking the stairs more often instead of the elevator, getting up to wash the dishes, and walking longer distances to the grocery store.
All of these simple strategies can help us increase light physical activity and reduce sedentary periods, which may benefit cardiometabolic health in adults, according to the results of this study.
If you do get stuck in the office (or even your home office) all day, it is advisable to get up as much as possible, such as taking a coffee break to get up and walk around while answering the phone.
Also, the experts have some additional advice for those who sit at their desks all day.
“If you can afford to get a standing desk, standing can make a big difference between standing and sitting,” says Dr. Tisso. ”
“Set an alarm and walk for 5 to 10 minutes every hour, even if it’s just going to the bathroom,” Dr. Tiso added.
For those who prefer to have specific goals to follow, it can be helpful to do about 2.5 minutes of exercise every hour of silent sitting, or 7 to 14 minutes of light activity every hour of daily sitting.
To help achieve this, you might even consider investing in a smartwatch that can track your activities during the day and sound alerts when you need to get up.
After that, it’s important to be honest with yourself about the results and take steps (literally) to ensure that you avoid active couch potato fields. The most important piece of information, though, is that many of us may need more exercise, even if you’re already exercising regularly.