Sitting has become epidemic in the United States, with Americans sitting an average of eight to 13 hours a day. Research that shows just how bad sitting is for us is mounting by the day. Here are some of the numbers:
7.7 hours: Average time we sit while commuting and at home.
83 percent: Rise in sedentary jobs since 1950.
3 hours: People who sit three hours less a day can add three years to their life expectancy.
54 percent: Those who sit for most of the day are 54 percent more likely to die of a heart attack.
60 calories: People who stand burn an average of 60 more calories an hour than sitters.
2 hours: Every two hours spent sitting reduces blood flow, raises blood sugar and reduces good cholesterol by 20 percent.
Sources: American Journal of Epidemiology study; Juststand.org; Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
