Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that increase risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It is diagnosed by the presence of at least three of five risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high waist circumference, low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, and high levels of triglycerides. Researchers set out to look at the impact of sedentary time on risk for metabolic syndrome.
The study had 871 community-dwelling older adults (age 65 to 79 years) from four European countries wear accelerometers (instruments that continuously measure activity) for one week. Blood pressure, fasting glucose, waist circumference, and levels of HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were measured to look for metabolic syndrome risk factors. Participants also kept food records so researchers could control for the impact of dietary intake on the results. Spending less time being sedentary (sitting or lying down) was associated with lower risk for metabolic syndrome—even in people who did not meet physical activity recommendations.
Getting an hour and a half of moderate physical activity a week is best, but, if you can’t do that, any movement is better for your health than sitting still for long periods of time.
Some fatty acids are bent, and some are straight. Their shape and length determine whether they are good or bad for our health.