10
LIVING
Tips for sitting less and
moving more
According to an article by
US-based Diatribe, getting
up and moving around
throughout the day may
help reduce the risk for diabetes
- and make diabetes management
easier.
For many people in the Western
world, a lot of time is spent sitting
down. According to one study,
Americans spend an average of
7.7 hours each day in sedentary
behaviours, which include sitting,
reclining, or lying down.
However, it is important to make
time to get up and move around.
For people with diabetes, more
movement can improve blood sugar
management, reduce stress, and
lower the risk of diabetes-related
complications. Long periods of sitting
are linked to an increased risk of
Type 2 diabetes, because it affects
the way our muscles respond to
insulin. However, cells - including
muscle cells - can develop insulin
resistance, meaning that more insulin
is needed and glucose stays in our
blood longer. Studies have found that
simply moving and contracting our
skeletal muscles can help improve
insulin sensitivity.
The good news is that we don't
have to devote hours of our day to
physical exercise to get the benefits
of muscle contraction. A 2025 study
showed that people can improve
their insulin sensitivity and metabolic
health just by sitting a little less
and standing a little more. Study
participants who sat even just 30
minutes less a day saw improvements
in the body's ability to burn fat and
respond to insulin. Researchers found
the benefits increased with every half
hour of less sitting.
"Making small lifestyle changes,
such as walking daily or taking the
stairs, may reduce the risk of Type 2
diabetes," said April Semon, a public
health nutritionist with the New York
State Department of Health.
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