LEEDS, England Its time to stop training children not to fidget, because the habit could save their lives in adulthood.
Thats according to a new study by British researchers, who discovered that fidgeting while sitting can negate some of the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, notes that while people who sit for long periods of time can actually run the risk of early death, those who move around while doing so dont face that same risk.
Previous research has shown that people who sit at a desk for seven or more hours a day are more susceptible to disability, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity. One study by the American Cancer Society found that women who sit for six or more hours a day are 10 percent more likely to get cancer than women who sit for fewer than three hours a day, Today reports.
So researchers with Leeds University set out to see if movement even the most sporadic could potentially reverse some of those issues. They looked at data collected from a 1999 to 2002 study of nearly 12,800 women between the ages of 37 and 78. The data included daily sitting time, physical activity, diet, smoking status, alcohol consumption and overall fidgeting time.
They found women who sat for over seven hours a day but didnt fidget much were 43 percent more likely to die early than women who sat for fewer than five hours. But women in that same group who couldnt sit still the middle- to high-fidgeting groups didnt have an increased risk of death.
Fidgeting might influence our metabolic rate in a beneficial way, perhaps offsetting some of the negative effects of sitting, study co-author Janet Cade told Today Health. For example, it might be linked to improved glucose metabolism. Fidgeting might also affect energy expenditure and intake.
The results stayed true even after researchers accounted for factors like age, chronic diseases, social status, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Researchers are quick to point out that the study didnt exactly pinpoint a cause-and-effect relationship between fidgeting and mortality, and the data they used were based on information women offered up voluntarily.
We have shown a strong association between sitting, fidgeting and mortality, Cade told Forbes. Our measure of fidgeting was self-report and so subject to reporting bias. People might not know how much they fidget.
However, Cade said it's undeniable that moving around, even when sitting, is better for your overall health. So take some time to tap your feet at your desk. Your life may depend on it.
Thats according to a new study by British researchers, who discovered that fidgeting while sitting can negate some of the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, notes that while people who sit for long periods of time can actually run the risk of early death, those who move around while doing so dont face that same risk.
Previous research has shown that people who sit at a desk for seven or more hours a day are more susceptible to disability, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity. One study by the American Cancer Society found that women who sit for six or more hours a day are 10 percent more likely to get cancer than women who sit for fewer than three hours a day, Today reports.
So researchers with Leeds University set out to see if movement even the most sporadic could potentially reverse some of those issues. They looked at data collected from a 1999 to 2002 study of nearly 12,800 women between the ages of 37 and 78. The data included daily sitting time, physical activity, diet, smoking status, alcohol consumption and overall fidgeting time.
They found women who sat for over seven hours a day but didnt fidget much were 43 percent more likely to die early than women who sat for fewer than five hours. But women in that same group who couldnt sit still the middle- to high-fidgeting groups didnt have an increased risk of death.
Fidgeting might influence our metabolic rate in a beneficial way, perhaps offsetting some of the negative effects of sitting, study co-author Janet Cade told Today Health. For example, it might be linked to improved glucose metabolism. Fidgeting might also affect energy expenditure and intake.
The results stayed true even after researchers accounted for factors like age, chronic diseases, social status, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Researchers are quick to point out that the study didnt exactly pinpoint a cause-and-effect relationship between fidgeting and mortality, and the data they used were based on information women offered up voluntarily.
We have shown a strong association between sitting, fidgeting and mortality, Cade told Forbes. Our measure of fidgeting was self-report and so subject to reporting bias. People might not know how much they fidget.
However, Cade said it's undeniable that moving around, even when sitting, is better for your overall health. So take some time to tap your feet at your desk. Your life may depend on it.
