Study: Sitting at work not as bad as at home, exercise offsets

Sitting for long periods of time has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease, but a new study is suggesting that not all types of sitting are bad.

Researchers followed the TV watching and sitting habits for nearly 3,600 African Americans for over eight years. Nearly a third watched more than four hours of TV a day and almost half said they often or always sat at work.

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Those who watched the most TV were more likely to develop heart disease and suffer an early death. But when it comes to sitting at work, those who sat the most had the same health risks as those who sat the least.

The researchers said 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a week appeared to help offset the harmful effects of too much TV watching.

The research is from the University of Central Florida and published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. 

NBC