Here's how much exercise you need to offset the effects of sitting too much

A new study reveals that regular physical activity may significantly mitigate the health risks associated with prolonged sitting among adults.

The study, published in July in the journal Diabetes Care, was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which followed more than 6,300 U.S. adults with diabetes for more than a decade and monitored their mortality rates through 2019. 

Participants self-reported their sitting time and levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The researchers then adjusted their findings for sociodemographic factors, lifestyle habits and pre-existing medical conditions using Cox models.

The researchers from Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, found a strong association between longer sitting time and increased mortality risk, particularly among those who were inactive (less than 10 minutes of WVPA per week) or insufficiently active (less than 140 minutes of WVPA per week).

FILE: People run on treadmills at a New York Sports Club (Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Those who sat for 8 or more hours and didn’t hit the 140-minute weekly exercise goal had a 77% higher risk of early death. 

In contrast, the study found that this increased risk was not observed in participants who engaged in at least 140 minutes of MVPA per week. Those who sat for 8 or more hours but hit their 140-minute weekly exercise only had a 20% elevated risk of premature death.

Exercising 140 minutes each week equates to 20 minutes of daily exercise. MVPA includes activities such as brisk walking, water aerobics, tennis, running, swimming, or biking.

These findings suggest that meeting the guideline-recommended levels of physical activity can offset the elevated risks of heart disease and premature death associated with excessive sitting.

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Previous studies have backed up this research, underscoring the importance of physical activity for adults, particularly those with sedentary lifestyles. 

A JAMA Network study published earlier this year followed nearly 500,000 people for 12 years and found those who sat at work had a 16% higher risk of mortality from all causes and a 34% higher risk of heart disease compared to those who predominantly didn’t sit at work.

Another study, published last year in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that just 22 minutes of brisk walking or a similar activity could offset the risk of prolonged sitting. People who spent more than 12 hours a day sitting were 38% more likely to die during the study period than people who sat for just eight hours a day. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is recommended that people get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.