Is Your Heart In It?
Physical inactivity is a major killer and a significant contributor to the burden of chronic disease in Australia. Disturbingly, just two in three (66.9%) of Australians aged 15 and over engage in low levels of exercise. The Heart Foundation is determined to tackle chronic disease and get Australians to move more and sit less.
It’s very easy to sit too much. Adults spend more than half of their waking hours sitting. To reduce your risk of health problems, it’s important to be aware of how much you sit and try to move more throughout the day.
According to the Heart Foundation, new evidence is suggesting that no matter what your total sitting time is, regular interruptions from sitting, such as standing up, may help to reduce your risk factors for developing coronary heart disease and diabetes. Here are some tips to get you out of your seat more often.
When at home:
- Get off your couch and walk around during commercial breaks
- Stand while reading the newspaper or chatting on the phone
- Do household jobs such as folding clothes, washing dishes or ironing while watching TV
- Wash your car by hand rather than use a carwash service
When at work:
- Walk to your colleagues desk rather than send an email or phone
- Use the stairs
- Walk the long way around to the bathroom or lunch room
- Drink more water; keep topping up at the water cooler regularly
- Park further away from the entrance to your workplace
For further information refer to the Heart Foundation Fact Sheet “Sit Less, Move More”
