Extended Sitting In Office Unhealthy Even For Healthy People

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Common wisdom is that sitting for extended periods of time in your office isn't the greatest thing to do to your body -- though the temptation is there to do so, in order to get work assignments done (or out of sheer boredom, or some combo of both). Another bit of common wisdom has been: well, if you go to the gym every day and stay physically active in your non-work hours, it will all balance out.

WRONG.

According to new medical research, long-term sitting at your 9 to 5 damages your health regardless of what physical exercise you fit in during the rest of the day. If you're a gym rat but are still putting in hours sitting at your desk, you are still unhealthy. As reported in The New York Times:

"...scientists have determined that after an hour or more of sitting, the production of enzymes that burn fat in the body declines by as much as 90 percent. Extended sitting, they add, slows the body’s metabolism of glucose and lowers the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol in the blood. Those are risk factors toward developing heart disease and Type 2 diabetes." 

These findings make me pretty angry, actually, because I've been working in office environments where people have sat for long periods of time in front of their computer monitors for over 15 years. That, plus drinking lots of caffeine an eating junk food to boost productivity, can't be good. And yet, isn't it the norm for most of the country?

Well, actually a number of workplaces are now offering "standing" desks and desks attached to exercise bikes and treadmills -- and I would suggest if you want to invest in, or open up, a new company, go for one in that emerging market.

Also, we should turn the spotlight on sitting times for video game players (that "World of Warcraft" episode of "South Park" comes to mind).

Anyway, this is a lot of food for thought.