Duke Medicine: Take a stand - why sitting too much is bad for your health

Do you sit too much? Many parents do. Whether you’re sitting on the sidelines while your kids enjoy playtime, or spending your workday sitting at your desk, research shows that too much sitting is not only bad for your health, it also decreases your life expectancy.

“When you sit for a long time there is a loss of blood flow to your lower extremities,” said Ismael Tamba, DO, MPH, at Duke Primary Care in Wake Forest “Sitting for longer than six hours increases the risk of blood clots, obesity, kidney disease, and heart disease. It also leads to a sedentary lifestyle.”

How can you start taking a stand? Tamba recommends drinking water frequently, taking a break every hour to walk around, and simply flexing your calf muscles to increase the blood flow if you are unable to stand or move for long periods of time.