Cited by 655Physical Activity and HealthErgonomics and Musculoskeletal DisordersNutritional Studies and Diet

Amount of time spent in sedentary behaviors and cause-specific mortality in US adults

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Matthews, Charles E, George, Stephanie M, Moore, Steven C, Bowles, Heather R, Blair, Aaron, Park, Yikyung, Troiano, Richard P, Hollenbeck, Albert +1 more·2012·The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Abstract

Background Sedentary behaviors predominate modern life, yet we do not fully understand the adverse effects of these behaviors on mortality after considering the benefits of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).Objective We tested the hypotheses that higher amounts of overall sitting time and television viewing are positively associated with mortality and described the independent and combined effects of these sedentary behaviors and MVPA on mortality.Design In the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, we examined 240,819 adults (aged 50-71 y) who did not report any cancer, cardiovascular disease, or respiratory disease at baseline. Mortality was ascertained over 8.5 y.Results Sedentary behaviors were positively associated with mortality after adjustment for age, sex, education, smoking, diet, race, and MVPA. Participants who reported the most television viewing (≥7 h compared with <1 h/d) were at greater risk of all-cause (HR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.47, 1.76), cardiovascular (HR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.56, 2.20), and cancer (HR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.40) mortality after adjustment for MVPA. Overall sitting was associated with all-cause mortality. Even among adults reporting high levels of MVPA (>7 h/wk), high amounts of television viewing (≥7 h/d) remained associated with increased risk of all-cause (HR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.20, 1.79) and cardiovascular (HR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.33, 3.00) mortality compared with those reporting the least television viewing (<1 h/d).Conclusions Time spent in sedentary behaviors was positively associated with mortality, and participation in high levels of MVPA did not fully mitigate health risks associated with prolonged time watching television. Adults should be encouraged to reduce time spent in sedentary behaviors, when possible, and to participate in MVPA at recommended levels. The NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00340015.

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Crossref · 10.3945/ajcn.111.019620

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  • Fifty-six percent of older adults report watching over 2 h of TV per day.

    “Fifty six percent of the older population report watching over 2 h of TV per day, 54.2% report over 3 h and 15.1% report over 4 h.”
  • The meta-prevalence of sitting was obtained for a total population of 372,550 compiled from seven surveys covering six countries (Australia, Canada, Norway, Spain, UK and USA).

    “These results were obtained for a total population of 372,550 compiled from seven surveys covering six countries (Australia, Canada, Norway, Spain, UK and USA) [3,17,18,24,25,27,33].”
  • 54.2% of older adults report watching over 3 h of TV per day.

    “Fifty six percent of the older population report watching over 2 h of TV per day, 54.2% report over 3 h and 15.1% report over 4 h.”
  • 15.1% of older adults report watching over 4 h of TV per day.

    “Fifty six percent of the older population report watching over 2 h of TV per day, 54.2% report over 3 h and 15.1% report over 4 h.”
  • There is an association between sitting time and negative health outcomes, such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all causes of mortality.

    “There has been shown to be an association between sitting time and negative health outcomes, such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all causes of mortality [14,24,27,33].”

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Authors
Matthews, C. E., George, S. M., Moore, S. C., Bowles, H. R., Blair, A., Park, Y., Troiano, R. P., Hollenbeck, A., & Schatzkin, A.
Affiliations
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • AARP (US)
Venue
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-02
Volume
95
Issue
2
Pages
437-445
ISSN
0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2130278098
Cited by
655
References
36
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 55 · 2018: 57 · 2017: 77 · 2016: 66 · 2015: 74 · 2014: 57 · 2013: 52 · 2012: 16
FWCI
42.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Cancer Institute
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
Keywords
sedentary behavior, sitting time, television viewing, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cancer mortality, cause-specific mortality, older adults, NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study
MeSH terms
Aged, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cause of Death, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mortality, Neoplasms, Surveys and Questionnaires, Television, United States, Cohort Studies, Exercise, Sedentary Behavior

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