People who spend a lot of time sitting have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, research shows

 The study found that those who worked long hours were more likely to engage in physical activity. 

One study found that people who sit for more than eight hours have a higher risk of having a heart attack and stroke. Doctors have long warned of a sedentary lifestyle and its effects on our organs such as the heart. 

In this recently completed study, researchers studied 100,000 people over a period of more than a decade. The study found that those who worked long hours were more likely to engage in physical activity. 

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College found that people who sit for more than eight hours a day are 20% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Eight hours of sitting is equivalent to 9 to 5 sitting in the office. 

These individuals are 49% more likely to have a heart attack than those who sit on their own for half an hour. Researchers claim that reducing the amount of sitting time and increasing physical activity can have the same benefits as quitting smoking. The study involved people from 21 countries with an average age of 50 years. In the study, they were asked how many hours they spend sitting each day each week. The researchers then examined their health records for the next 11 years. By the end of the study, 6,200 deaths had occurred. During this period there were 2300 cases of heart attack, 3000 cases of stroke and 700 cases of heart failure, but not all of them were fatal.