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Summaries for Patients |3 October 2017

Duration of Sedentary Episodes Is Associated With Risk for Death Free

Article, Author, and Disclosure Information
Author, Article, and Disclosure Information
This article was published at Annals.org on 12 September 2017.

  • The full report is titled “Patterns of Sedentary Behavior and Mortality in U.S. Middle-Aged and Older Adults. A National Cohort Study.” The authors are K.M. Diaz, V.J. Howard, B. Hutto, N. Colabianchi, J.E. Vena, M.M. Safford, S.N. Blair, and S.P. Hooker.


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    • What is the problem and what is known about it so far?
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What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

Spending more of our waking hours sedentary (for example, sitting and watching television) is associated with poorer markers of health and higher risk for death than spending more time engaged in physical activity (such as walking or playing sports). However, studies showing this increased risk for death have mostly relied on study participants' memories of how much time they spent sitting rather than on direct measures of that time. In addition, whether it matters if the total sedentary time is accumulated in shorter or longer bouts (that is, sitting for hours at a time without moving) is not known.

Why did the researchers do this particular study?

To assess the association of total sedentary time and longer and shorter bouts of sedentary time with mortality using an objective measurement tool.

Who was studied?

7985 black and white adults aged 45 years or older.

How was the study done?

The study participants were asked to wear devices that measure physical activity (accelerometers) for 7 days. The researchers also collected information on the participants' health-related characteristics, such as whether they smoked and had certain diseases like high blood pressure. They then followed the participants for years to see whether the total amount and patterns of sedentary time differed between those who did and those who did not die.

What did the researchers find?

Participants who spent more of their waking hours sedentary had an increased risk for death during the years of follow-up. In addition, longer bouts of sedentary time were associated with a higher risk for death than were shorter bouts of sedentary time. Shorter bouts of sedentary time (less than 30 minutes) were associated with less of an increase in risk than were longer bouts.

What were the limitations of the study?

The 7-day activity measurements and other health-related variables were collected early in the study and may have changed over the years of follow-up. Also, this study cannot prove that changing one's sedentary time or its pattern will reduce the risk for death.

What are the implications of the study?

The results suggest that spending less of our waking time being sedentary would be beneficial, and although no duration of sedentary time is good for you, shorter bouts seem to be associated with less risk.

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Duration of Sedentary Episodes Is Associated With Risk for Death. Ann Intern Med. 2017;167:I–24. [Epub ahead of print 12 September 2017]. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/P17-9045

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Published: Ann Intern Med. 2017;167(7):I-24.

DOI: 10.7326/P17-9045

Published at www.annals.org on 12 September 2017

©
2017 American College of Physicians
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