A new study published in the American Heart Association (AHA) journal Stroke found that adults under the age of 60 spend most of their time sedentary. Compared with those who spend more time on physical exercise, these "sedentary The risk of stroke is even higher.
The study showed that people who sit for 8 hours or more a day and lack physical activity have a 7 times higher risk of stroke than those who sit for less than 4 hours and exercise for at least 10 minutes a day.
First, let's take a look at what is "sedentary"? Sedentary does not mean "sitting" all the time, but refers to very few physical activities including using a computer, watching TV, playing mobile phones, reading, driving, etc.
The data analyzed by the researchers comes from the 9.4-year health information tracking of 143,000 adults in the Canadian Community Health Survey. Participants are 40 years of age and older and have no history of stroke. During the study period, participants had 2965 strokes, 90% of which were ischemic strokes.
"These are the most common types of strokes. They occur when the arteries that supply blood to the brain are blocked. If the stroke is not treated in time, the brain cells in the area may die due to hypoxia." The paper's corresponding author Mike Canada Reid Jondy, a clinical doctor at Master University, said.
According to statistics from the American Heart Association, in the United States, adults under the age of 60 spend an average of 10.5 hours a day on mobile phones, computers, or watching TV. Among them, the age group that spends the most time in this area is 50 to 64 years old.
The researchers divided the participants into four categories according to their sedentary time: less than 4 hours a day, 4 hours to 6 hours a day, 6 hours to 8 hours a day, 8 hours a day or longer.
Research data shows that “the number of stroke-related deaths among adults aged 65 years and older decreased in 2010. However, the number of stroke deaths among young people aged 35 to 64 years seems to be rising, from 14.7 per 100,000 adults in 2010. The number of people increased to 15.4 per 100,000 in 2016.”
Previous studies have shown that the longer the adult sitting for a long time, the more serious the condition, the higher the risk of these “sedentary” suffering from cardiovascular disease. It also includes stroke. 90% of strokes can be adjusted to reduce their risk, such as sedentary behavior.
"Sedentary time is thought to impair glucose, lipid metabolism and blood flow, and increase inflammation in the body. Over time, these changes may adversely affect blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke." Dee said.
Sedentary Hazards
Sedentary Hazards
Sedentary time and cumulative incidence of stroke
The study found that the average daily sedentary time for all participants was 4.08 hours. Among them, people aged 60 and under average 3.9 hours a day; adults between 60 and 79 years old average 4.4 hours a day; and those 80 years and older are 4.3 hours a day.
Compared with those who reported being sedentary for less than 4 hours a day, adults aged 60 years and younger who reported less physical activity and who reported 8 hours or more sedentary a day had a 4.2 times higher risk of stroke.
The least active group—those who reported 8 hours or more of sedentary time and low physical activity compared to those who reported less than 4 hours of sedentary time per day and higher levels of physical activity , The risk of stroke is 7 times higher.
The limitation of the results of the study is that the survey did not distinguish the participants according to their occupations by sedentary time. This may mean that those participants who also need to be sedentary at work, their sedentary time may be underestimated.
Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Medicine Professor Kerry Stewart said, “There are many signs that someone may have a stroke. Common symptoms include feeling weak in the arms, legs or face, especially if this The sensation occurs only on one side of the body.”
According to Stewart, slurred speech and difficulty with vision or hearing are other signs that people may have a stroke. He pointed out, “If people suddenly have a severe headache that is not related to any other known health conditions, it may also be a stroke symptom.”
So, how can “sedentary” reduce the risk of stroke? Stewart said, “Increase physical exercise while reducing sedentary time will help reduce the risk of stroke.” Specifically, people can “take a small step first”, start by standing more and sitting less, and in their daily routine Make small changes in your life, such as taking stairs instead of elevators.
According to the American Heart Association report, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, and preferably more than 10 minutes at a time. "When people exercise enough to increase their heart rate and sweat, it is considered moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or biking," said Jondy.
Previous studies have shown that 10 potentially changeable risk factors, including alcohol, are associated with 90% of strokes. Jondy said: "If all these risk factors are eliminated in the crowd, 90% of strokes can theoretically be avoided."
In order to reduce the risk of stroke, Jondy suggests that people not only pay attention to reducing the leisure time of sedentary, but also balance all aspects. "Improving physical exercise is only an important part of reducing the risk of stroke. In addition, there are nutritional diet, smoking cessation, and diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes."
