Sitting Truly Is The New Smoking! Experts Reveal Its Worrying Impact On Health

Many health experts now compare sitting to the effects of smoking, highlighting the significant impact our sedentary lifestyles have on our health. Study after study underscores this concerning reality. So, how does this corporate-fueled lifestyle affect our health?

What Do The Experts Say?

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Recent studies exploring women's health have uncovered a startling connection: those who spend over six hours a day sitting may double their chances of developing uterine fibroids.

The research suggests a direct correlation between sedentary behaviour and the risk of uterine fibroids. In fact, the study revealed that women sitting for six or more hours daily faced twice the risk compared to those who sat for fewer than two hours each day.

Fibroids are non-cancerous growths made of muscle and tissue that develop either inside the uterus, on its wall, or sometimes even outside it.

Why Does Sitting Affect Women So?

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The study authors suggest a well-established link between sedentary habits and chronic inflammation, along with a deficiency in vitamin D. This correlation might offer a potential explanation for the increased risk of uterine fibroids associated with prolonged sitting.

Previous studies have highlighted the link between inactive routines and cancers such as endometrial, ovarian, and breast cancer, all of which are influenced by estrogen. Given that fibroids also thrive on estrogen, health experts aimed to investigate if there's a potential connection between sedentary behaviour and the development of fibroids.

How Did Researchers Find A Link Between Sitting & Fibroids?

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A team of researchers from Kunming University in China conducted a study involving over 6,600 women aged between 30 to 55 years who had not yet reached menopause.

The participants were categorised into four groups based on their daily sitting duration: those sitting under two hours per day, those sitting for two to four hours per day (comprising 61% of the women), individuals sitting for four to six hours per day, and those sitting for six or more hours daily.

A total of 562 women (8.5% of the participants) had fibroids, with the highest rates observed among those aged over 50.

Besides fibroids in women, a study conducted jointly by the University of Southern California and the University of Arizona also suggested that individuals who spend 10 hours or more sitting each day might face an increased risk of developing dementia.

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