Sitting for Long Hours? You're at Increased Risk for Heart Disease and Diabetes

Shabbat is a significant and central factor in mortality rates in the Western world, primarily due to the complications of the disease. We now know that there are over 371 million people worldwide who have diabetes, with about half a million diabetics in Israel, accounting for about 7% of the population. Of these, 90% suffer from type 2 diabetes, and about 80% of them are also obese. Alongside the spread of the diabetes epidemic, the second cause of death in Israel is heart diseases, which are directly related to diabetes.

Sedentary Lifestyle Increases Risk for Heart Disease and Diabetes - A new study published in late September 2015 confirms one of the most severe consequences of the technological age characteristic of the 2000s: people who are inactive during the day for extended periods are at increased risk for diabetes and heart diseases. In fact, the connection between these factors remains dominant regardless of the age, gender, or weight of the subjects. To check this, researchers examined and analyzed data collected over three years from about 12,000 participants who were asked to monitor their activity for 16 hours each day for a week. The subjects were divided into four groups based on the time they spent sitting while connected to the activity monitor. A comparison was then made between the groups, and it was found that the group that spent the most time sitting had 6% less good cholesterol (HDL), which helps reduce the risk of heart diseases. Additionally, this group was found to have 16% higher levels of blood fats, increasing the risk for diabetes and heart diseases.

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The study results fit well with existing evidence supporting the health benefits of movement and exercise during the day. In other words, there is a high importance to regular activity throughout the day, and reducing it can change the levels of fats and sugars in the blood, thus leading to diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Diabetes and Heart Diseases: The Dangerous Complication - Cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes, are the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diet, obesity, lack of activity, smoking, and unhealthy drinking can increase the risk of these diseases, especially among people with diabetes. The World Health Organization also claims that type 2 diabetes is related to obesity and aging, occurring when the body does not produce enough insulin to convert blood sugar into energy. In fact, untreated type 2 diabetes, which becomes neglected, can quickly lead to nerve damage, amputations, blindness, stroke, and cardiovascular complications, including heart diseases.

Hence, there is a tight connection between diabetes and cardiovascular complications due to two main reasons: first, high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels, which thicken and lose their elasticity, making it difficult for blood to flow through them. The second reason is that diabetics deal with an increased tendency of blood fats, resulting from high glucose levels in the blood, causing the blood vessels to narrow until full blockage, which can cause a heart attack, angina, and severe leg pain.

How to Cope?

Innovations in Treatments: Many diabetics are treated with a wide range of medications since diabetes is a multi-system disease affecting many vital organs in the body. Recently, new diabetes treatments were developed, under the understanding that diabetes treatment cannot concentrate only on reducing blood sugar levels and must address as many fronts related to the disease as possible. In the past, diabetic medications, except for Metformin, failed to show a significant impact on reducing cardiovascular mortality. However, in a study published last September, a medication called Jardiance showed a significant reduction in heart and vascular complications by about 38%, which is particularly crucial for diabetics who are 2-4 times more at risk for stroke and heart diseases. Additionally, about 75% of deaths among diabetics are due to cardiovascular complications, meaning cardiovascular morbidity is the number 1 cause among type 2 diabetics, so any treatment helping to deal with both diabetes and its complications is particularly important.

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Physical Activity: If you spend a significant part of your day sitting, you are in the risk group for developing diabetes and heart diseases. Therefore, there is great importance in regular physical activity, from stretching during work hours to walking, running, and any other sport. Physical activity will help you maintain a normal level of blood fats and help maintain a healthy weight over time, alongside balanced sugar levels and overall health.

Proper Nutrition: If you are in the risk group or have already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, maintaining a proper diet is crucial. Sometimes, sticking to a correct and healthy menu will help lose weight, balance sugar levels, and prevent heart complications due to the disease, and sometimes it will help prevent the development of diabetes and heart diseases by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.