How Your Rear End Helps You Live Longer

There’s a new player in the fight to stay healthy: your rear end. Use it less for sitting and more for standing and you’ll live longer.

That’s what a recent study concluded. Compared with people who sat for less than 3 hours a day, those who sat for at least 6 hours per day dramatically increased their risk of dying from any cause.

Stand Up for Health
Sitting too much turned out to be bad for everyone in the study, but even more so for females. Mortality rate in women who sat for 6 or more hours a day increased by 40 percent, while the men’s mortality rate increased by 20 percent for that same amount of chair time. In general, the more people sat, the higher their risk of death crept up. (Try these tips for moving more when you get chores done.)

Add More Activity
Do you log a fair amount of couch time outside of work? Well then, make double sure you have an exercise program. Those who sat the most and were inactive in their free time fared the worst. Mortality rates more than doubled in men and women in this category compared with those who sat the least and moved the most in their leisure moments. Basically, the more active you are all day long, the longer you’ll live. (Here’s an active hobby that leads to a longer life.)

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