Stories
Sitting for more than 4 hours is as harmful as smoking 4 cigarettes, warns report
- •The Vascular Society of India warns that sitting continuously for more than 4 hours is as damaging to health as smoking 4 cigarettes.
- •Prolonged sedentary behavior driven by online gaming and OTT binge-watching is drastically increasing Deep Vein Thrombosis cases among Indian youth.
- •Research shows that sedentary behavior increases the risk of venous thromboembolism by up to 24 percent, with risk rising by 2 percent for every extra hour of sitting.
- •Experts emphasize that lack of leg movement slows blood flow in veins, leading to blood clots that can become life-threatening if they reach the lungs.
Key Questions Answered
Sitting continuously for more than four hours can be as harmful as smoking four cigarettes and significantly increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) by up to 24 percent. Prolonged immobility slows down blood flow in the legs, which can lead to life-threatening complications if blood clots travel to the lungs.
Extended screen time, online gaming, and binge-watching OTT content keep young people physically inactive for hours, preventing calf muscles from effectively pumping blood from the veins. This sedentary lifestyle has created a rising number of young patients experiencing deep vein thrombosis and related vascular issues previously common only among older adults.
Research indicates that the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) increases by 2 percent for every additional one-hour increase in daily sitting time. Furthermore, individuals with the highest levels of sedentary behavior face an approximately 24 percent higher risk of VTE compared to those with the lowest exposure.
