Prolonged Sitting Increases Heart Disease Risk, Even If You Stay Active

We know staying active is healthier than being sedentary, but new research finds that too much sitting—regardless of exercise—is hard on the heart.

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Fitting in a workout after a long day at a desk may not sufficiently counteract the harmful effects of sedentary behavior on heart health, according to a new study from Mass General Brigham.

The study, published on Nov. 15 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that excessive sedentary behavior, which researchers defined as waking activity with low energy expenditure while an individual is sitting, reclining, or lying down, is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, particularly heart failure and death from cardiovascular causes.