2-Minute Walks May Offset Effects of Sitting

Recent research suggests that sitting for long periods is harmful even for those who get regular exercise. But a new study finds that getting up and moving for just 2 minutes each hour can help reverse those effects. The study used data from a national health survey. People wore devices that measured their movement throughout the day. Researchers kept track of people for 3 years. In that time, 137 died. Researchers found that those who had short spurts of light activity were less likely to die during the study than those who just sat for a long time. For example, people may have spent the time in walking, cleaning or gardening. Doing these things for as little as 2 minutes an hour, instead of 2 minutes of sitting, reduced the risk of early death by 33%, the study found.