Americans sitting more than ever before, and computers get the blame

Americans are sitting more than they ever have in the past, despite the potential negative health effects. Most of the blame falls on people using computers in their spare time, after they’ve already used them as part of their jobs.

A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association says that, from 2007 to 2016, the estimated total sitting time increased from 7.0 to 8.2 hours per day among adolescents and from 5.5 to 6.4 hours per day among adults.

The study found that computer use outside of work or school for at least an hour a day rose in that time period, from 43 percent to 56 percent for children, from 53 percent to 57 percent for adolescents, and from 29 percent to 50 percent for adults.

The study, however, doesn’t account for time spend on devices like tablets and phones.

“A missing component is how much time is spent sitting and using handheld devices,” Yin Cao, an assistant professor of surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the senior author of the study, told WebMD. “The findings on computer use are not surprising as we know technology changes.

“We were surprised that time on TV and video (viewing) was stable, as we thought it would be decreased with the increase in computer time.”

The ErgoErgo active seating stool has an accordion design and won’t roll away.

If you are going to sit

There are some ways of sitting that are better than others, and it’s actually easy to improve your sitting habits. One method that’s better than most is active sitting, which is when the seated person is allowed or encouraged to move while sitting.

Some examples of this non-traditional seating are the ErgoErgo active seating stool, an exercise ball seat, a kneeling chair or a wobble stool.

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See also, Health Organization: Children Under 5 Should Have Limited Or No Screen Time

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