Reduce sedentary time – Get Healthier! : National recommendations to reduce sedentary time

Abstract

Work has become physically lighter in our society and our lifestyle involves a great deal of sitting. Even though Finns exercise very regularly, they spend most the day sitting in day care, school, work, institutions, vehicles and at home. Sitting or remaining stationary at length has negative impacts on cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Therefore, people of all ages should avoid excessive sitting, walk or cycle short distances or stand in public transport, and try to maintain physically active ways of working. For children, moving is natural and supports growth and development. Too much sitting and a lack of exercise weaken the well-being of children and young people in many ways. The society and parents should create environments that support the activity and learning of children and young people. Children and young people should be introduced to an active way of living, which will continue throughout their lives. Parents can encourage their children to play and spend time outdoors, walk and cycle their way to school and hobbies, take breaks from sitting in front of a screen and to be active at least one hour a day. Children’s instructors in day care and teachers at school should offer children physical activities and physically active environments and remove unnecessary limitations to exercise. Most adults do physically non-strenuous work, sit their way to work and also spend a lot of their free time sitting. People in school and at work should change their everyday lives in order to avoid sitting. It is good to walk or cycle short distances to hobbies, school, work or shops, take the stairs instead of the elevator and change positions to avoid sitting. Schools and offices can introduce active work stations and methods and take active breaks. Student and occupational health care services can include the promotion of physical activity and prevention of excessive sitting in health checks and sessions at the office or practice. Among the elderly, mobility and sitting have an even bigger impact on health and well-being than among younger age groups. Environments and services that encourage activity and less sitting in everyday life are essential in activating the elderly and otherwise less mobile. Home services and other housing services for the elderly should strive to promote daily exercise and reduce sitting by engaging and encouraging the elderly to be active in various ways. Walking, gardening and other suitably strenuous physical activity - including muscle-building exercise - are appropriate for elderly people with normal capabilities. If capability is reduced, one can still reduce uninterrupted sitting and request help for going outside, for example. Social and health care institutions should give the elderly the opportunity and necessary support for taking steps in their daily routines. A significant reduction of sitting and immobility in the society requires multisectoral cooperation on the municipality and national level. Decisions must be made within all administrative sectors. The society should build an environment enabling and encouraging for physical activity; these include all public transport solutions. Accessibility and active choices in everyday life should be the main themes in building designing and interior decorating. In social and health care, education and customer services staff training, particular attention should be paid to reducing sitting and immobility and taking breaks from prolonged sitting. Devices and technology should focus on applications that interrupt and reduce long periods of immobility.