A new study shows that women who sit for prolonged periods of time are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The study, which was conducted by researchers from the University of Leicester, located in the United Kingdom, focused on certain conditions that are directly linked to the formation of type 2 diabetes. These conditions include chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.
Men and women participants were asked to report how much they sit during a seven-day period. Blood samples were taken from each participant to check for diabetic risk factors.
What the researchers found was that the more time the women participants spent sitting, the more these risk factors increased. However, no similar connection was found in the men. This was surprisingly to learn since the men reported sitting an average of six hours per day versus only five hours per day for the women.
Even women who reported that they engaged in moderate to rigorous forms of physical activity throughout the week had increased risks based on the amount of time that they spent sitting.
When researchers took the women’s body mass index into consideration, the numbers dropped. Researchers believe that the release of specific hormones from fatty tissue negatively impacts the body’s metabolism.
Results of the study can be found in the January issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
