Prolonged Sitting Linked to Faster Aging and Health Risks in Young Adults

Health News: Sedentary Lifestyles Could Be Harming Young Adults More Than They Realize
In today’s world, where we spend hours sitting in front of computers, streaming videos, or scrolling on smartphones, our daily routines are often far more sedentary than ever before. According to a recent study from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of California Riverside, this extended sitting time could be significantly increasing the risk of heart disease and accelerating signs of aging, even in young adults. The study, which analyzed over 1,000 participants, including 730 twins, offers a unique perspective on how sedentary habits are affecting key health indicators like cholesterol levels and body mass index (BMI). This Health News report explores the alarming findings that suggest even regular exercise might not be enough to counterbalance the health risks of a predominantly seated lifestyle.


Prolonged Sitting Linked to Faster Aging and Health Risks in Young Adults
Image : AI-Generated

The researchers, led by Dr. Chandra Reynolds from the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder and Ryan Bruellman, a Ph.D. candidate at UC Riverside, examined how prolonged sitting could be impacting cardiovascular and metabolic health in people aged 28 to 49.
 
Surprisingly, they found that meeting the standard exercise guidelines - around 20 minutes of moderate exercise per day - didn’t fully counteract the detrimental effects of sitting for long hours. According to Bruellman, “Young adults often believe they’re immune to aging, thinking, ‘I don’t have to worry about this until later.’” However, the study’s findings make it clear that the lifestyle choices young people make today could have lasting consequences for their health.
 
Why Sitting Less and Moving More Matters
The study analyzed a broad range of participants from CU’s Colorado Adoption/Twin Study of Lifespan behavioral development and cognitive aging (CATSLife), which includes twins and adopted individuals followed since childhood. The participants reported sitting an average of nine hours a day, with some clocking in as much as 16 hours of sitting. Despite an average of 80 to 160 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, the researchers observed a concerning trend: the more time people spent sitting, the more signs of aging appeared in their health markers, such as cholesterol and BMI.
 
Dr. Reynolds explains that adding light to moderate exercise to the end of a day spent mostly sitting did little to buffer these negative impacts. While light activity might have some benefits, more vigorous exercise, like cycling or running for at least 30 minutes daily, had a noticeable effect. Those who incorporated vigorous exercise displayed cholesterol and BMI levels resembling those of individuals five to ten years younger, compared to their less active peers. Still, even vigorous physical activity couldn’t entirely erase the harmful effects of sitting for prolonged periods, the researchers concluded.
gt;  
Vigorous Exercise Can Help, But Isn’t a Complete Solution
One particularly interesting aspect of the study was the comparison between twins, especially identical twins who share the same genetic makeup. By analyzing identical twins who had different activity levels, the researchers could rule out genetic factors and focus on lifestyle differences. They found that substituting sitting time with physical activity was more effective at improving cholesterol levels than simply adding exercise to a largely sedentary day.
 
These findings suggest that using a standing desk, taking regular breaks, and organizing walking meetings could be beneficial steps to reduce sitting time at work. Bruellman advises that if sitting less isn’t feasible, aiming for 30 minutes of intense exercise daily, or engaging in longer, vigorous workouts during the weekend, might still help mitigate some health risks. This study underscores that prolonged sitting, regardless of age, poses significant health risks. Reynolds hopes these results will inspire policymakers to rethink physical activity guidelines, specifically considering the dangers of extended sitting.
 
Sitting All Day? The Toll on Your Health Is Greater Than You Think
Young adults might think they’re immune to the health impacts of aging, but this study proves otherwise. It found that people sitting an average of 8.5 hours daily, even those who met exercise guidelines, could be at a “moderate to high risk” for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Sitting less during the day and including more vigorous activity could go a long way toward keeping aging at bay.
 
The study’s authors urge people to remember that “this is the time to build habits that will benefit health over the long term.” If your day is packed with meetings, calls, or desk work, consider integrating standing breaks, regular walks, or short bursts of intense physical activity into your schedule. It’s a matter of building habits now that will set the foundation for better health as you age.
 
Genetics Versus Lifestyle: What the Twin Study Reveals
Twins offer a unique lens for examining lifestyle versus genetic factors since identical twins share 100% of their genes. In the study, twins who led less sedentary lifestyles had better cholesterol levels, showing that lifestyle choices can influence health markers significantly. For example, replacing an hour of sitting with an hour of exercise improved cholesterol levels better than just adding an hour of exercise without reducing sitting time.
 
The researchers also found that people who engaged in vigorous activities - such as running or cycling - for at least 30 minutes daily managed to maintain healthier BMI and cholesterol markers. However, even this vigorous exercise wasn’t enough to completely reverse the effects of prolonged sitting. Still, those who engaged in regular vigorous activity displayed signs of being five to ten years biologically younger than those who didn’t exercise intensely.
 
Conclusion: Making Healthier Choices Today for a Better Tomorrow
This study reveals that prolonged sitting is not just a passive habit; it actively contributes to aging and can affect young adults' health in profound ways. Even regular moderate exercise might not be enough to offset the damage caused by excessive sitting. For those spending hours on end in a chair, incorporating vigorous activity into daily routines or reducing sitting time altogether is essential to support long-term health.
 
For those aiming to live a longer, healthier life, the study’s message is clear: don’t just rely on a quick walk or a short workout at the end of the day. Instead, integrate more movement throughout the day and prioritize higher-intensity activities whenever possible. As Reynolds points out, “Our habits in these years lay the groundwork for our future health.”
 
The findings of this study were published in the peer-reviewed journal: PLOS One.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0308660
 
For the latest Health News, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
 
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-impairs-artery-flow-mediated-dilation-increases-systolic-blood-pressure-and-arterial-stiffness-in-young-adults
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/excess-mortality-figures-shows-that-more-young-adults-in-the-united-states-and-united-kingdom-are-dying-early