Want to stay healthy? Why not ask the boss to shift the office printer upstairs and get up regularly for a brisk walk. Or why not take the opportunity to take a short walk to talk to colleagues rather than using the phone or sending an e-mail.
That short walk is a healthy addition to your normal daily exercise.
In an experiment involving 70 healthy adults found that going for a short walk on a treadmill every half hour to break up nine hours of sitting was healthier than just sitting for virtually the whole day. It was also healthier than spending a continuous 30 minutes on the treadmill during the day otherwise spent almost entirely sitting down.
The regular, 100-second walks were associated with lower levels of glucose and insulin in the blood following the meal-replacement drinks given to all participants. Long-term control of blood-glucose levels is associated with decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The trial, done with people of normal weight in Dunedin, New Zealand, builds on the emerging evidence that regular movement is needed for good health in addition to the recommended half hour or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days.
The research also showed extra benefits of taking a short walk after eating, enabled blood-glucose levels to be kept in control.
The researchers also urged doctors to consider advising patients to regularly break prolonged sitting with brief bouts of activity – as well as doing the currently recommended amount of physical activity.