Sitting too long can be as deadly as smoking, warns doctor

For decades, smoking was seen as the biggest lifestyle villain. Today, doctors say another habit, far more common and socially acceptable, is proving just as dangerous: sitting for long hours.

With India’s workforce increasingly desk-bound and screen-driven, prolonged sitting has emerged as a serious public health threat, linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and even premature death.

“Sitting has become the new smoking,” says Dr. Anil Kumar Verma, Senior Consultant Cardiologist in an interview. “The damage it causes is slow, silent and often ignored until it’s too late.”

Dr. Verma explains that the human body is biologically engineered for movement, not extended stillness.

“When you sit continuously for hours, your metabolism slows down drastically. Blood circulation reduces, fat-burning enzymes shut off, and insulin resistance begins to rise,” he says. “Over time, this significantly increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.”

Multiple international studies back this claim, showing that people who sit for more than eight hours a day face mortality risks comparable to long-term smokers, even if they exercise regularly.

“One hour at the gym cannot undo ten hours on a chair,” Dr. Verma cautions.

WHY EXERCISE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH

A common misconception, according to experts, is that daily workouts neutralise



the harm caused by sitting.

“Physical activity is essential, but it does not act like an antidote,” Dr. Verma explains. “If you exercise in the morning and then remain seated for the next nine hours, the body still suffers the metabolic consequences of inactivity.”

Prolonged sitting causes the large muscles of the legs and back to remain inactive, leading to reduced glucose uptake and higher blood sugar levels, key risk factors for Type 2 diabetes.

OFFICE CULTURE AND THE RISE OF ‘SITTING DISEASES’

India’s corporate culture, long commutes and work-from-home routines have worsened the problem.

“I see patients in their 30s with blood pressure and cholesterol levels we earlier saw in people over 50,” Dr. Verma says. “A major contributor is uninterrupted sitting, at work, in cars, and at home in front of screens.”

Doctors now refer to this cluster of lifestyle-related conditions as “sitting diseases,” which include obesity, chronic back pain, poor posture, and cardiovascular disorders.

SMALL MOVEMENTS, BIG IMPACT

The good news, Dr. Verma notes, is that the solution doesn’t require extreme measures.

“You don’t need a gym or fancy equipment,” he says. “Stand up every 30 minutes, walk while taking phone calls, use stairs, stretch at your desk. These micro-movements can significantly reduce health risks.”