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Replacing Sitting With 30 Minutes Of Any Activity Could Prolong Life

BOSTON (CBS) -- You've heard over and over: sitting for too long is bad for your health. But this study shows that just a few minutes out of your seat could prolong your life.

Researchers at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center looked at 8,000 Americans aged 45 and older who wore physical activity monitors and found that replacing just 30 minutes of sitting with any kind of movement every day could help you live longer.

In fact, getting up for a half hour of light activity, like simply walking when a person would usually be sitting, was associated with a 17 percent lower risk of early death. The same amount of time doing moderate or vigorous exercise corresponded to about a 35 percent lower risk of death.

Experts hope that not only will Americans try to get more physical activity every day but that companies will also encourage their employees to get up and move during the work day to improve employee health and productivity.

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