Even among active individuals, sitting or lying down for extended periods may increase the risk of heart-related health issues, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).

The study examined associations between sedentary behavior, or sitting for long periods, and the risk of specific heart problems.

The research, titled “Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Behavior and Risk of Future Cardiovascular Disease,” involved 89,350 participants who wore an accelerometer on their wrists for one week.

Risks of prolonged sitting

Dr. Shaan Khurshid, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-senior author of the study, emphasized the risks associated with prolonged sedentary time.

“Our findings support cutting back on sedentary time to reduce cardiovascular risk, with 10.6 hours a day marking a potentially key threshold tied to higher heart failure and cardiovascular mortality,” Khurshid told the American College of Cardiology (ACC).

(credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)
(credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)
The sedentary group, those sitting for more than 10.6 hours per day, exhibited a 40% higher risk of heart failure. Even among the sedentary yet active group—individuals who sat for over 10.6 hours daily but engaged in more than 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity weekly—the risk of heart failure was 15% higher, the study found.

Dr. Harlan M. Krumholz, Harold H. Hines Jr. Professor at Yale School of Medicine and Editor-in-Chief of JACC, highlighted the study's implications. “This study adds to the growing evidence of a strong link between sedentary behavior and cardiovascular health,” Krumholz said. He added that the findings emphasize the need to “get people moving to promote better health.”

In terms of cardiovascular mortality, the sedentary group faced a 54% higher risk, while the sedentary yet active group had a 33% increased risk.

The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2024.

However, limitations noted by the ACC include the inability to determine why participants sat or lay down for extended periods and potential inaccuracies of accelerometers in detecting posture, which may misclassify active or sedentary time.