To avoid the health risks associated with sitting in a chair all day, in the office or at home, on the couch in front of the TV, experts urge us to take a quick 22-minute walk, News.ro notes.

A new study shows that people who are physically active for at least 22 minutes every day reduce their risk of premature death.

The findings were published Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Most people in Western countries spend 9 to 10 hours sitting when they are awake, with most of those hours during the workday, the researchers noted.

Physical inactivity is associated with an increased risk of early death, while physical activity is well established to have broad health benefits.

This latest study aimed to examine how much sitting time is needed to increase the risk of premature death and how much physical activity is needed to reduce that risk.

The researchers looked at a level of physical activity that was at least equivalent to brisk walking or gardening.

Walking stimulates mental focus and is easy on the joints.

Study of 12,000 people

For the analysis, Norwegian researchers combined data from four previous studies of 12,000 people aged 50 and older who wore trackers on their hips to measure time spent active and sedentary.

Dates between midnight and 6 a.m., when people are usually asleep, were excluded.

The analysis found that more than 12 hours of daily sedentary activity was associated with a 38% higher risk of premature death only among people who had less than 22 minutes per day of moderate or vigorous physical activity.

There were no restrictions on the duration of sitting that caused health risks, but any increase in moderate physical activity led to a reduction in the risk of premature death.

The study also found that increasing physical activity was more protective than reducing sedentary time.

150 minutes of exercise per week

The results are similar to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) physical activity guidelines for adults, which suggest 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity, such as walking.

Spread over 7 days, 150 minutes a week is just over 21 minutes each day.

The CDC also recommends that adults do muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week for major muscle groups, which are the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms. (photo source Dreamstime)