NEW YORK: Sitting for longer hours at work may not be as bad for the heart as sitting while watching television, a study claims.
The study, led by researchers at Columbia University in the US, found that leisure-time sitting (while watching TV) was associated with a greater risk of heart disease and death.
The research, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, also found that moderate-to-vigorous exercise may reduce or eliminate the harmful effects of sedentary television watching.
“Our findings show that how you spend your time outside of work may matter more when it comes to heart health,” study author Keith M Diaz said.
“Even if you have a job that requires you to sit for long periods of time, replacing the time you spend sitting at home with strenuous exercise could reduce your risk of heart disease and death,” Diaz said.
For the study, the reseacrhers followed 3,592 people for almost 8.5 years. The participants reported how much time they typically spent sitting while watching TV and during work.
They also reported how much time they spent exercising in their down time.
The participants who had logged the most TV-viewing hours (four or more hours a day) had a 50 per cent greater risk of cardiovascular events and death compared to those who watched the least amount of TV (less than two hours a day).
In contrast, those who sat the most at work had the same health risks as those who sat the least.
Even for the most dedicated TV watchers, moderate to vigorous physical activity, such as walking briskly or doing aerobic exercise, reduced the risk of heart attacks, stroke, or death.
According to the study, no increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or death was seen in people who watched TV for four or more hours a day and engaged in 150 minutes or more of exercise a week. (AGENCIES)
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RESEARCH-BACKPACKS-PUPILS
Researchers reveal maximum weight children
should carry in school backpacks
LONDON, July 4:
Scientists have established that school children who use backpacks should avoid loads of more than 10 per cent of their body weight and those who use trolleys, 20 per cent of their body weight.
To date, weight recommendations have been established for ordinary school backpacks, as they are the most widely used type in the school context worldwide.
For the study, published in the Applied Ergonomics journal, 49 primary school children were assessed.
A kinematic analysis of the children (posture of the trunk and lower limbs) was conducted while (i) they walked freely, carrying no weight, (ii) carrying a traditional backpack, and finally (iii) pulling a backpack trolley with different loads (10 per cent, 15 per cent, and 20 per cent of their respective body weights).
For the analysis, a three-dimensional optical motion capture system was used, similar to those used in animation films and video games.
In collaboration with researchers from Liverpool John Moore University, scientists from the University of Granada in Spain used statistical techniques to analyse the full kinematics curves, based on tracing point trajectories.
The findings of the study indicate that the greatest alterations when using trolleys or backpacks are produced in the proximal extremities (hip and trunk), while there is little difference in the kinematics of the distal extremities (knee and ankle).
However, pulling the backpack trolley produces fewer changes in the child’s kinematics and, therefore, resembles more closely their movement when walking free of any load, compared to carrying the backpack, even when it weighs very little.
As an overall conclusion, the study corroborates that schoolchildren who use backpacks should avoid carrying loads greater than 10 per cent of their body weight.
When pulling a school backpack trolley, the child should avoid carrying any load greater than 20 per cent of their body weight, according to the study. (AGENCIES)
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