Hourly movement breaks can help counter effects of prolonged sitting, study finds
Taking a five-minute walk every hour may help improve mood and reduce fatigue for people who spend much of their day sitting, according to a new study.
The research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed data from 11,484 participants who took part in the "Body Electric Challenge," a two-week program aimed at reducing prolonged sedentary behavior.
Participants were assigned to take a five-minute walk at a comfortable pace every 30 minutes, every 60 minutes or every 120 minutes during their waking hours.
Researchers collected survey responses for seven days before the challenge and throughout the two-week intervention period.
People who incorporated the short walking breaks reported feeling less tired and in a better mood, according to the study.
Researchers also found that the breaks did not appear to undermine work performance.
While taking a walk every 30 minutes produced the greatest improvements in mood and energy, researchers found that an hourly walking break offered the best balance between effectiveness and practicality for most people.
The findings add to a growing body of research examining ways to reduce the effects of prolonged sitting, which has been linked to a range of physical and mental health concerns.
Researchers noted several limitations, including that participants completed the walking breaks on their own and reported their outcomes through surveys rather than through direct observation.
Still, the study's large sample size -- more than 11,000 participants -- and diverse participant population may help strengthen the findings and their applicability across different groups. Participants represented a variety of races, occupations, nationalities, sexes and physical abilities and disabilities.
Areta Bojko, MD is a board-certified OBGYN and gynecologic oncology fellow at Women and Infants Hospital and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
