For decades, smoking was considered the biggest lifestyle threat to public health. Today, doctors say another habit — far more common and socially accepted — is proving just as dangerous: sitting for long hours.
As India’s workforce becomes increasingly desk-bound and screen-driven, prolonged sitting has emerged as a silent but serious health risk. Medical experts link extended sitting to heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, poor posture and even premature death.
“Sitting has become the new smoking,” says Dr. Anil Kumar Verma, Senior Consultant Cardiologist. “The harm it causes is slow, silent and often ignored until major health problems surface.”
According to Dr. Verma, the human body is biologically designed for regular movement, not prolonged stillness. Continuous sitting slows metabolism, reduces blood circulation, suppresses fat-burning enzymes and increases insulin resistance — all of which raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes over time.
Several international studies support these findings, showing that people who sit for more than eight hours a day face mortality risks similar to long-term smokers, even if they exercise regularly. “One hour at the gym cannot undo ten hours on a chair,” Dr. Verma cautions.
Experts also warn against the misconception that daily workouts fully offset the damage caused by prolonged sitting. While exercise is vital, it does not cancel out long periods of inactivity. Sitting for hours keeps major muscle groups inactive, reduces glucose uptake and elevates blood sugar levels, significantly increasing diabetes risk.
India’s evolving work culture — marked by long office hours, extended commutes and work-from-home routines — has intensified the problem. Doctors report seeing patients in their 30s with blood pressure and cholesterol levels previously common only among older adults. Uninterrupted sitting, they say, is a major contributor.
The cluster of conditions linked to this lifestyle has even earned a name among medical professionals: “sitting diseases.” These include obesity, chronic back pain, poor posture, metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease.
The solution, however, does not require drastic lifestyle changes. Doctors recommend simple habits such as standing up every 30 minutes, walking during phone calls, using stairs instead of lifts and stretching at the desk. These small, frequent movements can significantly reduce health risks and improve long-term outcomes.
