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Inside Health

When does sitting become bad for health?

Inside Health

BBC

Health & Fitness, Science

4.4575 Ratings

🗓️ 26 September 2023

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How many hours do you spend sitting down per day? Six? Maybe eight? Or 10? Between commuting, working and relaxing, sitting can soon add up to hours and hours.

In this week’s Inside Health we’re going to delve into the science to find out exactly how much sitting is too much; when does it become worrying for our health?

James visits the lab at Leicester University where he meets Professor Charlotte Edwardson to explore what prolonged sitting does to the body and he’ll find out whether there’s anything you can do to offset the effects of sitting a lot.

We’ll hear about the origins of sitting research - and just because we like to explore every angle on a topic, we’ll hear all about why standing too much can also be a worry.

James visits a school in east London where the children are really focusing on how much time they spend sitting. They’re taking part in the Active Movement programme with the aim of bringing lots of action into the school day - and take it home too. Sounds nice and relaxing doesn’t it?

Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Gerry Holt Editor: Erika Wright Production Co-ordinator: Jonathan Harris Studio Producer: Matthew Chamberlain

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello, you're about to listen to a BBC podcast, and I'm Ed Gamble, host of another BBC podcast,

0:05.4

The Traitors Uncloaked. But my show is available only on BBC Sounds, just like Ellis and John's

0:10.6

Saturday bonus episodes, the Pop Top Ten podcast with Scott Mills and Ryland, and comedy specials

0:16.2

from the likes of Harriet Kemsley, Susie Ruffel and Rommas Shranger Nathan. However, and maybe I'm biased, it's really all about the traitors uncloked.

0:24.3

So for a whole bunch of exclusive scoops and podcasts, listen only on BBC Sounds.

0:30.5

BBC Sounds, music, radio podcasts.

0:34.7

Stand up, if you think, 1,343 is great stuff.

0:39.9

I love standing up all the time because it's good.

0:43.5

We also your body and your mind.

0:46.1

Wow.

0:46.9

Do you get bored if you sit down too long?

0:48.5

You don't have anything to do and you can't like be free outside.

1:02.8

Well, my dad works at home so he mostly sits and goes on his laptop.

1:07.8

My dad works at home too, so I have to drag him around most of the door

1:12.1

to make him get fitter. Dad's are like that. What would you say to somebody who sat at home, sat on their

1:18.4

sofa, hasn't gone up all day? I would just tell them that it's healthy to get out of the house

1:23.7

and to get some more fresh air and exercise. I would be like, get up now, now, get out the house,

1:30.3

shove him out the house, we're locking it out.

1:33.3

You're like really bossy.

1:35.3

Not really, but that's what I would do if he has to move in bay.

1:38.3

So all together, standing good or bad?

1:41.3

It's good.

...

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