A recent study done in Australia has found that those who take frequent breaks at work to stretch and walk around have smaller waistlines and smaller waistlines translate into a lower risk of heart disease.

They studied over 2700 people 20 years or older by monitoring their activity with an accelerometer. They wore the device while awake and it measured the amount and intensity of physical activity. Those who took an average of 1258 breaks in a week were two pant sizes smaller than those who took an average of 99 breaks in a week. A marker of inflammation called the C-reactive protein was also lower in the active group. The average break time was around 4 minutes. The range of sedentary times of those in the whole group was between 1.8 up to 21.2 hours a day.

Physical activity is very important. Getting up and walking around engages the core muscles, which are generally at rest with sitting. Taking breaks and walking around has also been found to help people be more productive on the job.

If you are sedentary at work, it is time to schedule frequent breaks. Bring good walking shoes and just walk around the block or up and down the stairs or even around the halls. Your heart will thank you.