Study: Sitting Too Long Shortens Lifespan

Here's something to get you off your tush: The average working American spends eight hours a day sitting. Spending too much sitting at your desk is already thought to be bad for your well-being; now there's evidence that it might affect your lifespan. These new results from a study conducted by the American Cancer Society may be enough to stop anyone in their "sedentary tracks," reports SHINE. Researchers spent 14 years studying 120,000 men and women and found that the more time they spent sitting, the greater their risk of dying prematurely. The stakes were especially high for women. Researchers found that women who spend six or more hours sitting had a 37 percent chance of dying, as compared to women who spent less than three hours a day in a chair. It was 17 percent higher for men. But fear not, working women. Here's what Shine suggests you can do:

• "Trade your desk chair for an exercise ball. Balancing on one of these helps you strengthen your entire core. It may also remind you that you are trying to do good things for yourself and stop you from grabbing carb-y snacks from the office vending machine."

• "Step it up. We've all seen advice to take the stairs instead of an elevator when possible, but you can take that an extra step by bringing a portable stepper to the office and move in step while you read some documents or talk on the phone."

Read more tips at SHINE.