sitting for half an hour less helps lower blood pressure in seniors, according to an American study

Immobility affects health. The beneficial effects highlighted by the study carried out by Seattle scientists are comparable to those observed when doing the gym.

Seattle scientists selected 300 overweight people over 60 years old. Sedentary people, who sat for more than six hours a day. They separated them into two groups. One did not change his habits, in the other the participants were encouraged to sit for less time. As a result, after six months, the participants in this more active group were sitting 40 minutes less on average per day. Their blood pressure fell in a similar proportion to that obtained by regularly exercising in the gym, or by losing weight, show the results of their work published Wednesday March 27 in the journal Jama Network.

A sedentary lifestyle promotes hypertension

By spending a lot of time sitting or lying down, immobility affects different factors such as insulin sensitivity, blood glucose level, bone density, muscle mass, or heart rate. These are all elements that impact health. Previous studies have shown that staying too still during the day not only exposes you to being overweight but also to more cardiovascular disorders and even cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, lack of physical activity can be linked to 3,000 new cases of cancer each year in France.

Seniors, moreover, are not the only ones concerned. Some 95% of the French adult population lacks physical activity, health authorities indicate. When you spend the day sitting in an office, there is no need to change your habits much to improve your health. A scientific summary published by Public Health France shows that for adults who work all day in the office, a reduction in blood pressure and bad cholesterol begins to appear from half an hour less spent sitting in their chair each day. There is also an improvement in lower back pain.

In recent years, various research studies have shown that freedom of movement in the office also promotes creativity. According to American researchers from Stanford, students who think while walking have on average 60% more ideas than those who remain seated at their desk.