March 6, 2026 • 6 mins
Does sitting for long periods of time affect your health?
Research shows that long sitting times is linked to a higher risk of early death – but why?
Dr Bryan Betty joined Jack Tame to run through the research, and give a few options for reducing the risk.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
That'd be Doctor Brian Bettie is with us this morning. Brian,
you've been caught up in the same thing. I've been
caught up and these Facebook scams, these online scams showing
videos of us and asking people for money. So I'm
sorry to see you've been affected, but you have.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah, no, Look, I've become I had one a couple
of years ago, but in the last two weeks I
had three or four come up. And the reason I've
become aware of them is a couple of people have
just contacted the surgery asking if they could send money
directly to the clinic for these products. So really really
worrying that this occurs. And they are absolute scams. So
(00:47):
whether it's for Manuka honey fortinitus or muscle extract for
rhematoit arthritis, or garlic drops or whatever, these things are promoting,
and there's been a number of them. Yeah, people, Yeah,
people need to be very very wary of what's posted
on the Internet or Facebook.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah, yeah, Okay, and if they say the one of
you obviously reported if they can, but also most importantly,
don't send any money.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Look, look I think yes, please please report it if
you see me promoting that that stuff, and please do
not do not, under any circumstances please send any money.
It's it's, it's, it's it's. It is a total scam.
So yeah, it's sort of the area we're living in.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Oh, I know it is, sadly it is. Unfortunately. Hey, look,
we're focusing this morning on some research that looks at
how sitting for long periods can impact your health. And
I know that people are rolling my eye or rolling
their eyes say that sitting is bad for you, but
obviously it's it's not all sitting, it's sitting for extended periods.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Right, Yeah, well, look, I mean this is what it is.
If you go back, you know, a couple of generations,
we led very physical lives. But we are now in
a situation where most of us sit in front of
computers for long periods of time. And there's now been
some big research done around us, and yeah, what they've
found is long periods of city is actually linked to
(02:07):
a higher risk of death. So what we seen tend
to see is higher risks of heart disease, type two diabetes,
and actually some cancers Now, this risk is time dependent,
so every hour that you city spend sitting without a break,
your risk goes up, and sort of six to eight
hours tends to be a real critical point at which
(02:30):
things tip over. Now, some people can exercise during the day,
which is great, and exercise absolutely helps, but actually they
can still sit for eight to ten hours a day,
and that in itself is a risk factor, regardless of
doing separate exercise after work or during your lunch hour.
So yeah, really really interesting stuff that's emerged around this.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
What does it actually say about the harms that can
be caused by too much sitting?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, well, look, we think it's got to do with
low muscle activity, especially in the legs. The legs are
very big muscle bulks, and the legs are very muscles
are very important in terms of sugar and fat metabolism
in the body. So what tends to happen is you
get these metabolic changes when you're sitting for long periods
(03:16):
of times, where sugars may rise, where where fats may
rise in the body. And also you tend to get
a reduced blood flow, and this leads to reduce caloric burns,
so you don't burn as much much calories and you
tend to put on weight. Now it can lead to
other problems like back and neck problems which people I
think will be very familiar with if they sit at
computers for a long period of time, and interestingly enough,
(03:39):
issues with mood. So there's been associated with low mood
if you spend long, long periods of time sitting. So
there's all sorts of effects that sort of come into play,
but a lot of them around what we call metabolic
our metabolic health, which is the sugar fats, energy burn
type stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
How do we reduce the risk then.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Yeah, look, I mean, look, you can reduce the risk,
but you need to think about it. And the thing
is small. All regular interruptions and you're sitting actually dramatically
reduced the risks.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
So look, just thinking about standing every thirty minutes and
maybe just moving around the desk as simple as that,
even for a minute or two, will make a profound difference.
Taking short walks during your your morning break, your afteroon tea,
or your lunch break. Sit stand desks, they are interesting.
So stand desks, those ones where people stand at the desk,
(04:33):
you actually tend to use more more calories. You tend
to have better blood flow walking during phone calls. Now
I tend to do this now, so im on a
phone call, I actually tend to walk around. So people
could do that very easily at the office if they
chose to simple things like taking the stairs if you
want to move between floors rather than the elevator. And actually,
(04:53):
if you're going to work or you're coming home from work,
maybe getting on the bus one bus stop further on
so you walk a bit further, or maybe park a
little bit further away from work. So these type things
are really really bet officials. I think you can do
things on your phone, like set your phone to remind
you to get up and just walk around, or do
something to rate just to break the cycle. But you know,
(05:17):
so so you know, it's not necessarily the fact you're sitting, Yeah,
it's the length of time that you're sitting is actually
the critical thing. So so breaking it up is the
number one thing you can do to reduce that risk.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I also reckon you do better work. I'm convinced that
if you get up, like you know, like if you
get up every forty five minutes from your desk and
you just go for a little walk around and get
a coffee or whatever. I'm convinced you do a better job.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Honestly, look, you're absolutely right, yeah, one one percent, So
it just gets something's going.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah right, Thank you very much. Brian really appreciate that.
We'll put all of those points up on the news talks.
He'd be website and catch you again very soon.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Good luck.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Well the scams. I really hope that with plenty of
people reporting them, that the powers that be might take
them down, although having been through all of that myself,
it feels like whack them all a lot of the time.
I'll tell you what, if you take Brian's advice and
you make sure you don't sit for too long, you
do get up, you work around, there is a bit
of a chance you might be a superagor because genetics
(06:16):
play a role, but they reckon that lots of lifestyle
factors can also contribute and superages. You know people in
their eighties who have like really really good memories and
really good different measures of health. After eleven o'clock this morning,
we're going to take a look at some of the
other components that can help you become a superagor.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen live
to News Talks' B from nine am Saturday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
That'd be Doctor Brian Bettie is with us this morning. Brian,
you've been caught up in the same thing. I've been
caught up and these Facebook scams, these online scams showing
videos of us and asking people for money. So I'm
sorry to see you've been affected, but you have.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah, no, Look, I've become I had one a couple
of years ago, but in the last two weeks I
had three or four come up. And the reason I've
become aware of them is a couple of people have
just contacted the surgery asking if they could send money
directly to the clinic for these products. So really really
worrying that this occurs. And they are absolute scams. So
(00:47):
whether it's for Manuka honey fortinitus or muscle extract for
rhematoit arthritis, or garlic drops or whatever, these things are promoting,
and there's been a number of them. Yeah, people, Yeah,
people need to be very very wary of what's posted
on the Internet or Facebook.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah, yeah, Okay, and if they say the one of
you obviously reported if they can, but also most importantly,
don't send any money.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Look, look I think yes, please please report it if
you see me promoting that that stuff, and please do
not do not, under any circumstances please send any money.
It's it's, it's, it's it's. It is a total scam.
So yeah, it's sort of the area we're living in.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Oh, I know it is, sadly it is. Unfortunately. Hey, look,
we're focusing this morning on some research that looks at
how sitting for long periods can impact your health. And
I know that people are rolling my eye or rolling
their eyes say that sitting is bad for you, but
obviously it's it's not all sitting, it's sitting for extended periods.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Right, Yeah, well, look, I mean this is what it is.
If you go back, you know, a couple of generations,
we led very physical lives. But we are now in
a situation where most of us sit in front of
computers for long periods of time. And there's now been
some big research done around us, and yeah, what they've
found is long periods of city is actually linked to
(02:07):
a higher risk of death. So what we seen tend
to see is higher risks of heart disease, type two diabetes,
and actually some cancers Now, this risk is time dependent,
so every hour that you city spend sitting without a break,
your risk goes up, and sort of six to eight
hours tends to be a real critical point at which
(02:30):
things tip over. Now, some people can exercise during the day,
which is great, and exercise absolutely helps, but actually they
can still sit for eight to ten hours a day,
and that in itself is a risk factor, regardless of
doing separate exercise after work or during your lunch hour.
So yeah, really really interesting stuff that's emerged around this.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
What does it actually say about the harms that can
be caused by too much sitting?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Yeah, well, look, we think it's got to do with
low muscle activity, especially in the legs. The legs are
very big muscle bulks, and the legs are very muscles
are very important in terms of sugar and fat metabolism
in the body. So what tends to happen is you
get these metabolic changes when you're sitting for long periods
(03:16):
of times, where sugars may rise, where where fats may
rise in the body. And also you tend to get
a reduced blood flow, and this leads to reduce caloric burns,
so you don't burn as much much calories and you
tend to put on weight. Now it can lead to
other problems like back and neck problems which people I
think will be very familiar with if they sit at
computers for a long period of time, and interestingly enough,
(03:39):
issues with mood. So there's been associated with low mood
if you spend long, long periods of time sitting. So
there's all sorts of effects that sort of come into play,
but a lot of them around what we call metabolic
our metabolic health, which is the sugar fats, energy burn
type stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
How do we reduce the risk then.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Yeah, look, I mean, look, you can reduce the risk,
but you need to think about it. And the thing
is small. All regular interruptions and you're sitting actually dramatically
reduced the risks.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
So look, just thinking about standing every thirty minutes and
maybe just moving around the desk as simple as that,
even for a minute or two, will make a profound difference.
Taking short walks during your your morning break, your afteroon tea,
or your lunch break. Sit stand desks, they are interesting.
So stand desks, those ones where people stand at the desk,
(04:33):
you actually tend to use more more calories. You tend
to have better blood flow walking during phone calls. Now
I tend to do this now, so im on a
phone call, I actually tend to walk around. So people
could do that very easily at the office if they
chose to simple things like taking the stairs if you
want to move between floors rather than the elevator. And actually,
(04:53):
if you're going to work or you're coming home from work,
maybe getting on the bus one bus stop further on
so you walk a bit further, or maybe park a
little bit further away from work. So these type things
are really really bet officials. I think you can do
things on your phone, like set your phone to remind
you to get up and just walk around, or do
something to rate just to break the cycle. But you know,
(05:17):
so so you know, it's not necessarily the fact you're sitting, Yeah,
it's the length of time that you're sitting is actually
the critical thing. So so breaking it up is the
number one thing you can do to reduce that risk.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I also reckon you do better work. I'm convinced that
if you get up, like you know, like if you
get up every forty five minutes from your desk and
you just go for a little walk around and get
a coffee or whatever. I'm convinced you do a better job.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Honestly, look, you're absolutely right, yeah, one one percent, So
it just gets something's going.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah right, Thank you very much. Brian really appreciate that.
We'll put all of those points up on the news talks.
He'd be website and catch you again very soon.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Good luck.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Well the scams. I really hope that with plenty of
people reporting them, that the powers that be might take
them down, although having been through all of that myself,
it feels like whack them all a lot of the time.
I'll tell you what, if you take Brian's advice and
you make sure you don't sit for too long, you
do get up, you work around, there is a bit
of a chance you might be a superagor because genetics
(06:16):
play a role, but they reckon that lots of lifestyle
factors can also contribute and superages. You know people in
their eighties who have like really really good memories and
really good different measures of health. After eleven o'clock this morning,
we're going to take a look at some of the
other components that can help you become a superagor.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen live
to News Talks' B from nine am Saturday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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