Sitting too long can cause fatty liver disease: study

A sedentary lifestyle is often considered a contributing factor for most adverse medical conditions like heart problems, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Unfortunately, it looks like people who are often in front of their computers, or are sitting too long on their office chairs will have another major health issue to worry about. A new study suggests they are most likely to develop fatty liver disease as well.

Live Science reports that according to the study, conducted in the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, individuals who sat for ten or more hours are more than likely to have a nine percent chance of getting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a disease that occurs due to fat deposits found in the liver, than individuals who sit less than five hours in a day. What more, physical activity plays a vital role in NAFLD development because active individuals have 20 percent less likelihood to get the said disease.

Dr. Seugnho Ryu, lead author and professor of environmental & occupational medicine, shares that in recent years, more individuals are developing a sedentary lifestyle due to too much use of the computer, gadgets and television. People are getting inactive and lazy simply because almost half of an average person's waking routine involves less physical activities.

The team analyzed about 140,000 South Korean adults, who are 40 years old and above, in good health and have a sedentary lifestyle, The Huffington Post writes. The participants were asked to report their sitting times and physical activities. After undergoing ultrasound testing, the researchers discovered that almost 35 percent of them have NAFLD.

Professor of metabolism and lifestyle medicine from the Newcastle University of England, Michael Trenell, wrote in the editorial of the study, that a person's body is designed to move and be active. Once an individual lessens his physical activities, which eventually reduces muscle activity, it will definitely have a direct impact on physiology.

Co-author Yoosoo Chang from Sungkyunkwan University shares that the results of the study suggest how increased physical activity and reduced sitting duration may play independent roles in lessening the risk of developing NAFLD, Business Standard adds. This is very important as there are only a few approved drugs in the market that can treat NAFLD.

The researchers recommend getting about two to three hours of workout per week or increasing the number of steps one takes in a day to promote a healthier lifestyle.