Research Design Connection: Quantifying Sitting Solutions

by Sally Augustin, Ph.D. | May 11th, 2015

Several studies have recently documented the benefits of reducing time sitting. New findings quantify relationships between being seated and walking and health. Research published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology reveals that “engaging in low intensity activities such as standing may not be enough to offset the health hazards of sitting for long periods of time…adding two minutes of walking each hour to your routine just might do the trick…there is no benefit to decreasing sitting by two minutes each hour, and adding a corresponding two minutes more of low intensity activities. However, a “trade-off” of sitting for light intensity activities [e.g. casual walking, light gardening, cleaning] for two minutes each hour was associated with a 33% lower risk of dying.” Data were collected from more than 3,200 individuals. Designers can encourage walking by creating functional inconveniences, such as longer walks to rest rooms, for example. …