Sitting is too Long is Hazardous - Breathing Space Blog

An excerpt from an article in The Week

"If you work at a desk, you should get up on your feet for at least two hours a day to avoid the serious health consequences of prolonged sitting, a panel of scientists has recommended. The average office worker sits for 10 hours a day, then heads home to spend the evening glued to a television or computer screen. 

A growing body of research has found that hours of sitting triggers a destructive chain reaction in the body, slowing metabolism, altering hormones, raising cholesterol, and weakening muscles; over time, the result is heightened risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, cancer, and a shortened life. Scientists say, in fact, that prolonged sitting does as much health damage as smoking cigarettes. And the negative effects of eight to 10 hours at a desk can’t be undone by exercising before or afterward."