A sedentary lifestyle has been the root cause of many modern-day health problems. Since a lot of us have desk jobs, movement is restricted, thus inviting health risk due to the absence of physical activity.
An outlet to increase energy expenditure is the need for the hour. But how can one do so by ensuring one’s life isn’t completely disrupted? One easy way to do so by standing while getting their work done. This simple change can allow one to fight negative effects on health.
The lead author of the study, Francisco J. Amaro-Gahete from the University of Granada, Spain said, "If we take steps to combat a sedentary lifestyle by making small lifestyle changes, such as spending more time standing, this could reduce the risk of developing diseases such as obesity or Type 2 diabetes.”
The researchers considered a sample of 53 young adults for the study. They were divided into two categories, “savers” and “spenders” of energy. This was done based on the amount of energy spent on switching to standing from sitting or lying.
An important factor to consider in this scenario is muscle mass, which is also responsible for energy expenditure. People with more muscle mass were found to have increased energy expenditure compared to those with less muscle mass.
Drawing from the study, the study authors recommend spending more time standing than sitting to avoid the storage of fat and increase the usage of energy. Study researcher Jonatan Ruiz said, "If a person were to get up, take 10 steps, and sit down again, it appears that the effects of a sedentary lifestyle would be greatly reduced."
