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How to combat sedentary behaviour or the ‘sitting disease’?
Lifestyle

How to combat sedentary behaviour or the ‘sitting disease’?

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    Published on 20 March 2022

    Sedentary behaviour has reached the status of a global health epidemic. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 2 million deaths a year are directly linked to this phenomenon. Also known as the sitting disease, a sedentary lifestyle is typified by people who spend at least six hours a day in a seated, reclined, or lying posture, and who lack sufficient physical activity. Regular physical activity is preventive in the onset of a wide range of conditions. Not only does it serve the body with health benefits, it also bolsters our mental form, helps to maintain a healthy weight, and contributes to our overall well-being.According to Ms Koh Hui An, Senior Physiotherapist, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH), sedentary behaviour is defined as simply “taking fewer than 5,000 steps a day, on a weekly average.” She described the condition as being prevalent and even commonplace amongst those that she has immediately observed. “Just by asking the people around us or the patients that we work with, we noticed that an average desk-bound person walks less than 3000 steps a day. For people working from home, the daily average further decreases by another 350 to 400 steps,” continued Ms Koh. You’re going to want to stand for what we’re about to share with you: sedentary behaviour is a public health risk. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Source: World Health Organisation steps a day is considered sedentary behaviour a yearare directly linked tosedentary lifestyles Approximately spend at least8 hours per day sitting down Approximately