A recent study of Australian adults shows that each daily one-hour increase in “couch potato” sitting time while watching television upped the rate of metabolic syndrome in women by 26 percent — regardless of the amount of exercise they did.  

Metabolic syndrome is the presence of three or more heart disease risk factors including high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, high cholesterol or insulin resistance.  

Thirty minutes of daily exercise decreased metabolic syndrome risk by about the same percentage, meaning that being a couch potato cancelled out the benefits of working out.  

“Sedentary” should be defined as muscular inactivity rather than the absence of exercise concluded the researchers. People should not only exercise frequently, but avoid sitting in one place for too long. 

If you have a desk job, take short breaks to stretch and move about, take the stairs, and walk instead of driving when running short errands.