Go ahead, take a seat-it probably wont kill you. Counterbalancing a recent study (see last issues News-Bites) linking sitting too much with increased risk of death, a new review of 43 previous studies says its too soon to conclude that sitting down on the job is hazardous to your health. The health downsides of too much sedentary behavior are well-known, but most such research has focused on leisure activities like sitting in front of the TV. Given the sedentary nature of many jobs today, researchers decided to look at the health effects of occupational sitting. Among studies of occupational sitting and cancer, they found five showing a higher risk but 10 conclud-ing that sitting posed no extra cancer risk. Although four studies linked oc-cupational sitting with risk of cardio-vascular disease, three showed no such association. Evidence was similarly mixed for diabetes risk and effects on body mass index. Although four stud-ies did connect sitting on the job with greater mortality risk, another actu-ally reported that those with sedentary occupations lived longer. A new study does, however, suggest active workers are less at risk for heart failure; see the next Healthletter for details.TO LEARN MORE: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, October 2010; abstract at www.ajpm-online.net/article/S0749-3797(10)2900412-5/abstract
