More time spent sitting, reclining or lying down during the day may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death, according to a study in Journal of the American College of Cardiology and presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024 . More than roughly 10-and-a-half hours of sedentary behavior per day was significantly linked with future heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular (CV) death, even among people meeting recommended levels of exercise. "Our findings support cutting back on sedentary time to reduce cardiovascular risk , with 10.
6 hours a day marking a potentially key threshold tied to higher heart failure and cardiovascular mortality ," said Shaan Khurshid, MD, MPH, a cardiologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and co-senior author of the study. "Too much sitting or lying down can be harmful for heart health, even for those who are active." Insufficient exercise is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Over 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week is recommended by current guidelines to promote heart health. However, study experts say exercise is only a small fraction of overall daily activity, and the current guidelines don't provide specific guidance on sedentary behavior which accounts for a much larger portion of daily activity, despite evidence that it's directly linked with CVD risk. This study examined the amount of sedentary time at which CVD risk is greatest and explored how .