As humans age, their body mass composition seems to deteriorate. They might be prone to high blood pressure, and high cholesterol among other chronic diseases. But according to a study published in the JAMA Network Open older adults might be able to lower their blood pressure by decreasing their sitting time. Considering that adults have less physical activity since their physiological health does not allow them to, they can try reducing their sitting by 30 minutes per day.Â
Some researchers within the study created a program to see if the reduction in sitting time can reduce blood pressure in old adults. They included 283 members between the age of 60 to 89 years of age who also had a BMI between 30 and 50. These participants receive health coaching for six months, a tabletop standing desk and an activity tracker.Â
The coaching sessions set goals for reducing sitting time and these participants completed most of the sessions remotely. A second group of participants were also involved in health coaching, but they focused on general training which was not related to standing.Â
The researchers saw that study participants who received training and focused on reducing sitting time – had a decrease in inactivity levels by 30 minutes per day. their blood pressure was also reduced by 3.5 mmHg. The researchers noticed that this drop in blood pressure is comparable to the 4-mmHg reduction found in studies examining increased physical activity to lower blood pressure and an average decrease of 3 mmHg in weight loss studies.Â
As per the authors, reduced sitting time can help overall health. It can be said that older adults normally sit between 64 % and 80% of the time when awake and that itself is associated with health risks like heart disease and diabetes.Doctors suggest that older adults reduce their sitting time not only for better cardiovascular health but also for their skeletal health.Â
Some researchers say that Lowering blood pressure by 3.5 mmHg is not enormous, but it is a start and may help. Some also wanted to see results among adults who were suffering from diabetes. Doctors also say that focusing on short walks instead of reducing sitting time might be more beneficial since that will focus on getting in cardio which in turn will help manage weight.Â
Sedentary behavior leads to obesity. Blood clots in the lower extremities might travel to the lungs due to longer sitting periods and are the most feared complication. Due to long working hours, young adults also spend most of their time sitting, which can range from 12 to 14 hours some days. Doctors say that regular activity and reducing this sitting time should start at an early age. Standing helps reduce systolic blood, improving overall circulation. Â
Even though there is no study on how much sitting time is right, doctors say that Metabolism, glucose, muscle tone, bone, and the cardiovascular system are all affected by prolonged sitting. Thus, it is crucial to be vigilant for one’s health Â
Journal Reference – Dori E. Rosenberg, P. (2024). Sitting Time Reduction and Blood Pressure in Older Adults.
Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2816825Â
