Bottom line is keep off your bottom to be healthy

SPENDING too much time sitting down is bad for your heart and waistline, a study of postal workers has found.

The research found a link between sedentary work and a bigger waist circumference and higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

To avoid the risk, people may have to walk at least seven miles a day or spend seven hours per day upright.

The researchers studied 111 healthy Glaswegian postal workers who were kitted out with activity monitors for seven days. Fifty-five of them were office workers and 56 delivered post for a living.

The study revealed those who had desk jobs registered a bigger waist circumference – 97cm compared to 94cm – and approximately one BMI unit difference.

They also had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease – 2.2 per cent compared to 1.6 per cent over 10 years.

The research suggests waist circumference increases by two centimetres, and risk of cardiovascular diseases by 0.2 per cent, for every additional hour of sitting on top of five hours.

The study was led by Warwick Medical School at Warwick University, with the workers wearing a physical activity and position monitor called activPAL developed by Glasgow University experts.

Professor Mike Lean, of Glasgow University’s School of Medicine said: “Our evolution to become the human species did not equip us well to spending all day sitting down. We probably adapted to be healthiest spending seven to eight hours every day on our feet, as hunters or gatherers.

“Our research supports that idea. The bottom line is that if you want to be sure of having no risks of heart disease, you must keep off your bottom.”