Prolonged sitting may increase your risk for heart disease

SALT LAKE CITY — Are there dangers that come with sitting for too long? According to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, yes. Prolonged sitting may put you at greater risk for heart disease, even if you work out.

Let’s Get Moving host Maria Shilaos spoke with Clint Anderson, a certified physician assistant in medical cardiology with CommonSpirit Health, to learn how we can get out of a sedentary lifestyle.

Even if you are an active exerciser outside of work, it’s unhealthy to sit for too long during your work hours, said Anderson.

“I think it’s just a reflection of the less active we are, the more sedentary we are [and] the more likely [we are] to get hypertension, obesity, [and] diabetes. And all those things lead to heart disease,” Anderson said.

You can start small

Although it’s not always easy to move around more if you’re stuck at a computer all day, Anderson said a little goes a long way. Even a little bit of exercise is better than nothing.

“Even if it’s just walking around the block, you start small and you just kind of progress as you go as you can,” Anderson said. “We all don’t need to be marathoners, but we all need to be active.”

According to Anderson, a good rule of thumb is 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.

“Moderate can be relative,” Anderson said. “If someone’s really de-conditioned and really out of shape, moderate activity might be something super easy to somebody who’s in super duper good shape.”

You can also find your target heart rate based on your age range.

Motivation is the key to consistency

Anderson pointed out that motivation is one of the most common reasons why people aren’t physically active.

“You don’t want your exercise to feel like a chore, right? You [have] to want to do it, or you’re not going to do it,” Anderson said. “Find something you love to do. Find something that you look forward to doing. Then you’re going to stick with it a lot easier.”