Study: Not All Types Of Sitting Are Equally Unhealthy

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Sitting is the new smoking.

That's according to studies on the effects of couch potato lifestyle on heart health.

The good news is that not all types of sitting are equally unhealthy.

Move more and sit less. That has been the advice from reseachers looking at the negative effects of sitting for long periods.

New research suggests the type of sitting may make a difference.

"Sitting while watching TV increases your risk for heart disease and death. Workplace sitting does not," said Dr. Keith Diaz of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Diaz is the author of a study that looked at more than 3,500 people for eight years. That study found people who were couch potatoes for four or more hours of TV a day had a 50 percent greater risk compared to those who watched less than two hours.

"We think it has to do with the nature of the sitting habits. So when you sit and watch TV you sit for hours at a time, three or four hours straight, versus when you're in the workplace you're going to the copy machine, or a printer, or coworkers desk, and so you're breaking up your sitting," he said.

Even more importantly, the study also showed that moderate to vigorous exercise may lower the harmful effects of sitting and TV watching.

"Those individuals who exercised 150 minutes or more in a given week, that their risks from TV viewing were eliminated," Dr, Diaz said.

Since many of us have to sit much of the time at work, the average adult spends about six hours a day sitting. Take short breaks from your desk or TV, get up and move around often. It may have real health benefits. Or better yet, get up and exercise.