If sitting is bad for you, what about reading?

Polyglot27 · 10-22-2012, 04:06 PM

There is an article in the Guardian warning us against spending too much time sitting down. It looks like it can even be dangerous, as the following excerpt shows, " An Australian paper in the Archives of Internal Medicine of more than 200,000 people aged 45 or over found that those who sat for 11 or more hours a day had a 40% increase in risk of dying over the next three years, compared with those who sat for only four hours a day."
If reading is synonymous with sitting, isn't reading dangerous too?
Since the body can be in only one of 3 positions when not moving, namely standing, sitting and lying down, are the other two positions safer or not? Victor Hugo stood at his specially made desk when working on his books, maybe that was a good idea.
Here is the full article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...ng-bad-for-you

twowheels · 10-22-2012, 04:11 PM

I work standing and spend a lot of time hiking & cycling, so I'm not too worried about my reading time. That said, I also like to combine those activities... as in, hike or cycle to a beautiful spot and read while taking a break, then return! :-)

QuantumIguana · 10-22-2012, 04:15 PM

Everything in proper proportions. Reading is good for you, and so is exercise.

no.guru · 10-22-2012, 04:18 PM

No time to get the references now, but I remember lying down was said to be better than sitting. Reading in bed should be fine if you're flat.

Worst was sitting, leaning forward.

QuantumIguana · 10-22-2012, 05:11 PM

I do go for hikes, but I really should get more exercise. But not reading wouldn't make me exercise more.

Tarana · 10-22-2012, 05:44 PM

Yes, actually, reading can contribute to lack of exercise. I spent the day gardening to prepare for snow (I am zonked now) while listening to an audiobook.

pidgeon92 · 10-22-2012, 05:49 PM

Yep, sitting is not very healthy. I've mostly stopped sitting except for while eating. I have a treadmill set up under my desk, and I walk on it when I'm working or on the internet. I do a majority of my reading while eating or while in bed. I wish I had started this much earlier than my mid-40s, I'd be in much better shape by now.

Ravensknight · 10-22-2012, 07:11 PM

Well shoot, who knew you were more likely to die after the age of 45?
I could have told you that!

LovesMacs · 10-22-2012, 07:45 PM

Ereaders make it easier to combine reading and exercise. No more walking around holding a heavy tome! Just don't walk into anything!

~Kate · 10-22-2012, 07:58 PM

For sure there will be a research study somewhere that looks at the impact of e-readers on weight gain (or loss).

Since I got my Kindle I went up a clothing size. But I know someone else who lost 20 Lbs because she was reading on her Kindle instead of watching TV and eating (didn't want to get the Kindle dirty).

Quexos · 10-23-2012, 02:21 AM

Well just don't read 11 hours a day then, only 4

I think people should not read a very long time at once, but several shorter times a day and then move about in between.
It seems to me to be enough if you read 2 or 3 hours in a row.

kennyc · 10-23-2012, 07:56 AM

Probably still better than "Reading at the Eating Table" the thread just below this one at the moment.

kennyc · 10-23-2012, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LovesMacs

Ereaders make it easier to combine reading and exercise. No more walking around holding a heavy tome! Just don't walk into anything!

My daily lunchtime walk is with my eReader!

RainingLemur · 10-23-2012, 10:23 AM

Well, everything bad is good for you, actually..

sun surfer · 10-23-2012, 10:51 AM

I read an article some years ago that said that not only is sitting too long bad for you, but exercising when not sitting doesn't take away all the bad effects of sitting. In the long-term studies, they looked at people who sat for a long amount of time each day versus people who didn't, and then also divided each group into those who exercise a good amount regularly versus those who don't. I can't remember the exact results, but I do remember that the group who sat for a long time but exercised a lot fared poorly in life expectancy compared to the group who didn't sit for a long time and exercised a lot. I was surprised at this, as before I would have thought that as long as one exercises regularly, that the position of one's body the rest of the day, within reason, shouldn't be a major factor in health.

Though I didn't investigate any more after this article, I remember wondering about lying down, the same as some of you above are about the OP's article, because this article didn't mention it either. One would think lying down would be healthier since we are made to normally lie down at least six to eight hours a day while sleeping, but who knows since before reading the article I mentioned I wouldn't have thought sitting was nearly that unhealthy.

10-22-2012, 04:06 PM	#1
Polyglot27 Addict Posts: 227 Karma: 5528404 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Paris, France Device: Cybook Gen3, Archos 70IT, Archos 80 G9, Sony PRS-650, Sony T1	If sitting is bad for you, what about reading? There is an article in the Guardian warning us against spending too much time sitting down. It looks like it can even be dangerous, as the following excerpt shows, " An Australian paper in the Archives of Internal Medicine of more than 200,000 people aged 45 or over found that those who sat for 11 or more hours a day had a 40% increase in risk of dying over the next three years, compared with those who sat for only four hours a day." If reading is synonymous with sitting, isn't reading dangerous too? Since the body can be in only one of 3 positions when not moving, namely standing, sitting and lying down, are the other two positions safer or not? Victor Hugo stood at his specially made desk when working on his books, maybe that was a good idea. Here is the full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...ng-bad-for-you

10-22-2012, 04:18 PM	#4
no.guru Crazy like a Posts: 229 Karma: 2368978 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Sony PRS-T1, Sony PRS-350	No time to get the references now, but I remember lying down was said to be better than sitting. Reading in bed should be fine if you're flat. Worst was sitting, leaning forward. __________________ DRM = malware

10-22-2012, 07:11 PM	#8
Ravensknight Serpent Rider Posts: 614 Karma: 5200000 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: PRS-505, Superpad Tablet, Sony T1, Sony 350, Nook STR	Well shoot, who knew you were more likely to die after the age of 45? I could have told you that! __________________ My Goodreads Profile Join the Science Fiction Book Club and we both get rewarded

10-22-2012, 07:45 PM	#9
LovesMacs Spring has sprung. Posts: 261 Karma: 1166338 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Somewhere with seagulls. And bunnies. Device: Kindle Touch, iPhone, books beginning with "e"	Ereaders make it easier to combine reading and exercise. No more walking around holding a heavy tome! Just don't walk into anything! __________________ A happy day is a day with a bunny.

10-23-2012, 02:21 AM	#11
Quexos Freethinker Posts: 1,452 Karma: 7020586 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: European Union Device: Glo, Aura HD 2.5.1	Well just don't read 11 hours a day then, only 4 I think people should not read a very long time at once, but several shorter times a day and then move about in between. It seems to me to be enough if you read 2 or 3 hours in a row. __________________ . "All in all you're just A-nother brick in the wall" (Pink Floyd)

10-22-2012, 04:11 PM	#2
twowheels Guru Posts: 874 Karma: 6066059 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: KPW/DX/iPad2/4S Past:Newton OMP >N120 >Palm3 >3c >iPAQ3850 >Droid >K3	I work standing and spend a lot of time hiking & cycling, so I'm not too worried about my reading time. That said, I also like to combine those activities... as in, hike or cycle to a beautiful spot and read while taking a break, then return! :-)

10-22-2012, 04:15 PM	#3
QuantumIguana Wizard Posts: 1,458 Karma: 14424170 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle	Everything in proper proportions. Reading is good for you, and so is exercise.

10-22-2012, 05:11 PM	#5
QuantumIguana Wizard Posts: 1,458 Karma: 14424170 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle	I do go for hikes, but I really should get more exercise. But not reading wouldn't make me exercise more.

10-22-2012, 05:44 PM	#6
Tarana Zealot Posts: 128 Karma: 571458 Join Date: Sep 2012 Device: Nook ST, Kindle Keyboard	Yes, actually, reading can contribute to lack of exercise. I spent the day gardening to prepare for snow (I am zonked now) while listening to an audiobook.

10-22-2012, 05:49 PM	#7
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 1,890 Karma: 3627630 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle 2, Kindle PW, Kindle DXG, Sony 950, Boox M90, Kobo Aura	Yep, sitting is not very healthy. I've mostly stopped sitting except for while eating. I have a treadmill set up under my desk, and I walk on it when I'm working or on the internet. I do a majority of my reading while eating or while in bed. I wish I had started this much earlier than my mid-40s, I'd be in much better shape by now.

10-22-2012, 07:58 PM	#10
~Kate Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 546176 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Tornado Alley, USA Device: Kindle 2,3,4, Fire!	For sure there will be a research study somewhere that looks at the impact of e-readers on weight gain (or loss). Since I got my Kindle I went up a clothing size. But I know someone else who lost 20 Lbs because she was reading on her Kindle instead of watching TV and eating (didn't want to get the Kindle dirty).

10-23-2012, 07:56 AM	#12
kennyc Priorities! Priorties! Posts: 29,928 Karma: 36862314 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Galaxy SIII; Xoom; Kindle Fire	Probably still better than "Reading at the Eating Table" the thread just below this one at the moment. __________________ Kenny A. Chaffin Art Gallery - Print Gallery - Writing&Poetry "Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama

10-23-2012, 10:23 AM	#14
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,360 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Well, everything bad is good for you, actually.. __________________ "Can't judge a book by another man's treasure."

10-23-2012, 10:51 AM	#15
sun surfer keep calm and carry on Posts: 1,261 Karma: 6665144 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: the shade of the morning sun Device: ipad mini & sony 950	I read an article some years ago that said that not only is sitting too long bad for you, but exercising when not sitting doesn't take away all the bad effects of sitting. In the long-term studies, they looked at people who sat for a long amount of time each day versus people who didn't, and then also divided each group into those who exercise a good amount regularly versus those who don't. I can't remember the exact results, but I do remember that the group who sat for a long time but exercised a lot fared poorly in life expectancy compared to the group who didn't sit for a long time and exercised a lot. I was surprised at this, as before I would have thought that as long as one exercises regularly, that the position of one's body the rest of the day, within reason, shouldn't be a major factor in health. Though I didn't investigate any more after this article, I remember wondering about lying down, the same as some of you above are about the OP's article, because this article didn't mention it either. One would think lying down would be healthier since we are made to normally lie down at least six to eight hours a day while sleeping, but who knows since before reading the article I mentioned I wouldn't have thought sitting was nearly that unhealthy. __________________ apple trees and honey bees and snow white turtle doves

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