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THE average adult Australian spends nine hours a day sitting on their backsides, with the largest slice of that time generally dedicated to an office chair.
It might not seem like a pressing cause for concern, but studies have repeatedly shown that physical inactivity is a leading cause of many major health problems including diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer.
In an effort to find fresh ways to combat the long-standing issue, the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute headquartered in Melbourne has launched its Rise & Recharge campaign.
The campaign is a quirky and engaging set of technology-based solutions which encourage people to get the blood pumping at work, while performing simple office related tasks.
Research suggests adults should be getting up to stretch and invigorate the blood flow every thirty minutes, so by installing the Rise & Recharge mobile app users can forget about clock-watching and instead receive a handy alert when it's time to move.
Users earn credits every time they take more than 15 steps during their exercise breaks, with all points going towards becoming a 'chair boss' each day.
While a simple walk can do wonders, the institute has also released a series of animated office-related exercise ideas for people who are keen to do something a little more interesting.
A few favourite moves include the Telecon Stairmaster, Mobile Can-Can and Slam Dunk:
Head of Physical Activity Research at Baker IDI Professor David Dunstan says that sitting for extended periods of time is not only bad for physical health, but it can also severely affect concentration and productivity due to a lack of oxygenated blood flow to the brain.
"Being glued to your chair all day at work does not make employees more productive, in fact, research suggests the opposite," says Dunstan.
"When sitting, blood-flow slows down because our muscles are inactive. Our body relies on movement to keep blood flowing efficiently and to help clear glucose and fats from the blood."
According to Dunstan, even people who exercise regularly are at risk when sitting static for a prolonged period of time.
"While daily exercise is important, it does not counteract all of the negative effects of sitting for extended periods of time, that's a common misconception," he says.
The Rise & Recharge app is now available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
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