A new study shows further evidence for the view that spending too much time sitting down is bad for our health and our waistline.

Research led by Dr. William Tigbe, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick found workers who have a desk-bound job have bigger waists and increased risk of heart disease. It supports advice to sit less and be more active; as much as seven hours a day on your feet, and walking seven miles, may be needed to avoid heart disease. The study titled “Time spent in sedentary posture is associated with waist circumference and cardiovascular risk” was published in International Journal of Obesity.

Tigbe kitted out 111 healthy Glaswegian postal workers with activity monitors for seven days; 55 were office workers and 56 delivered post for a living. The study revealed differences between the two groups. Those who had desk jobs had a bigger waist circumference – 97 cm compared to 94 cm – and approximately one Body Mass Index (BMI) unit difference. They also had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease – 2.2 per cent compared to 1.6 per cent over ten years. The new study suggests that waist circumference increases by two centimetres, and risk of cardiovascular diseases by 0.2 per cent, for every additional hour of sitting on top of five hours.

Furthermore, bad cholesterol (LDL) increases and good cholesterol (HDL) decreases with each additional hour of sitting from five hours a day.

Tigbe said: “Longer time spent in sedentary posture is significantly associated with larger waist circumference, higher triglycerides (fat in the blood) and lower HDL cholesterol, all adding up to worse risk of heart disease. The levels associated with zero risk factors were walking more than 15,000 steps per day, which is equivalent to walking seven to eight miles, or spending seven hours per day upright…”