The Truth About Sitting Down (It's <em>Killing You</em>)

Jen Carlson

Published Jun 29, 2011

Modified Jun 29, 2011

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Jen Carlson

Published Jun 29, 2011

Modified Jun 29, 2011

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Today Etsy Tweeted a link to the below infographic, which may look like some outrageous scaremongering propaganda from the Standing Up Council, but it's all too real. And it's not like we haven't heard it before: last year we learned that "too much sitting, and not just a lack of exercise, may cause heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses." Earlier this year it was confirmed, with one researcher declaring: "Excessive sitting is a lethal activity." And the latest numbers are shocking—this infographic states (right next to a scary monster) that "sitting 6+ hours per day makes you up to 40% likelier to die within 15 years than someone who sits less than 3. Even if you exercise." So consider this your reminder: sitting is suicide!

Basically, it's making us fat, it's wrecking our bodies, it's turning off electrical activity in our leg muscles, and doing other terrible terrible things that will give us nightmares later tonight. Since you can't quit your job (they give you the health insurance you'll need when your body begins to atrophy from all the sitting!), what are you gonna do? The infographic suggests you interrupt sitting whenever possible, so it's time to be that person in the office who gets up and stretches and walks around every 15 minutes. They'll call you "the office crazy," but you'll live to BURY THEM ALL.