Researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine investigated the health benefits of engaging in lighter activities for short periods of time in those who are sitting and working. They used observational data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to examine whether longer durations of low intensity activities (e.g. standing), and light intensity activities (e.g. casual walking, light gardening, cleaning) extends the life span of people who are sedentary for more than half of their waking hours.

The study examined 3,243 NHANES participants who wore accelerometers that objectively measured the intensities of their activities. Participants were followed for three years after the data were collected; there were 137 deaths during this period. Researchers found that trading 2 minutes/hour of sedentary activity with light-intensity activity was linked to 33% lower mortality in the general population. It was found that there was 41% lower mortality in those with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to the study.

Based on the results it was recommended that we add 2 minutes of walking each hour in combination with their normal activities and include 2.5 hours of moderate exercise each week. The researchers also observed that there is no benefit to decreasing sitting by two minutes each hour.

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