Lazy All Day Increases the Risk of Death? This is Said by a Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, IPB University

The lazy lifestyle, aka lazy movement, turns out not only to make the body sore. More than that, sitting too long can trigger various serious health problems, even increasing the risk of premature death. This was revealed by a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine of IPB University, dr Widya Eka Nugraha, MSiMed.

“Sedentary lifestyle or what is commonly called lazy is different from ordinary physical inactivity. It is a condition when a person does not even do light activities,” explained dr Widya.

Physical activity can be measured through METs (metabolic equivalents). If an activity has a METs value of less than or equal to 1,5, it is classified as sedentary activity. Examples include sitting, lying down, or watching TV without moving.

Physical activity can be measured using METs (metabolic equivalents). If the activity has a METs value ≤ 1,5, it is classified as sedentary. Examples of these activities include sitting for long periods of time, lying down, or watching television without moving.

“A person is said to have a sedentary lifestyle if more than 50 percent of their waking time (± 6 hours) is spent just sitting or similar activities,” she explained.

Surprisingly, recent studies show that sitting for more than 15 minutes in one session already increases the risk of death, compared to sitting for less than 10 minutes per sitting session. 

Even people who exercise regularly are still at risk if they sit for too long without a break. Therefore, someone who sits for more than 1 hour per session still increases the risk of death.

“In essence, we must pause sitting activities with light movements such as standing and walking (brisk walk) for a while,” she said.

In general, continued dr Widya, there are several mechanisms associated with prolonged sitting and health problems. 

Sitting for a long time causes low METs so that the body’s metabolism becomes less active. In addition, sitting too long also causes the body’s muscles to weaken and reduce their mass.

“If all of these things happen for a long time, it will cause a buildup of blood sugar levels, blood cholesterol levels, blood flow becomes less smooth, weaken muscles, and increase the risk of dementia and premature death,” she said.

Then, what is the solution?

“Try to stay active. If you can stand, don’t sit. Use a standing desk, ride a bicycle instead of a motorcycle, stand on public transportation, and join a sports community,” she advised.

Not only that, dr Widya also suggested providing supporting facilities to keep the body active such as sports shoes, simple workout tools, and comfortable clothes to move.

“Basically, our bodies were created to be active. So, let’s move, don’t be constantly lazy,” she said. (dr) (IAAS/NRA)