®Measure yourself
Your balance of sitting and activity
Think about all your sitting time: at work, while travelling, eating and in front of screens. For activity, count only things that make you breathe faster, such as brisk walking or cycling.
Time spent sitting each day8 h
Moderate activity each day20 min
TV viewing each day
In the study, the difference in the risk of death compared with those in the same activity group who sat least (under 4 hours)
| Under 4 hours | 4–6 hours | 6–8 hours | More than 8 hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60–75 min a day or more | ||||
| About 50–65 min a day | ||||
| About 25–35 min a day | ||||
| About 5 min a day |
Coloured boxes show statistically significant differences. The outlined box is your group. The activity time you enter is matched approximately to the closest of the study’s four groups.
–
The values you enter are not sent anywhere and are not saved.
How can I sit less?
- Break up long periods of sitting often: get up and walk for a few minutes every half hour.
- Stand up or walk around while you are on the phone.
- Walk or cycle for short journeys.
- Get up during the ad breaks when watching TV.
Assistive products
- Desk break timer: reminds you to take breaks from sitting.
- Brisk walking metronome: brings your walking up to a moderate pace.
- How much activity is enough?: compare your weekly activity with the recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
How reliable are these results?
The calculator is based on a meta-analysis published in The Lancet that reanalysed data from more than a million adults in 16 studies in the same way. But these are observational studies: they do not prove that sitting or inactivity causes death. Sitting and activity times were mostly self-reported; most participants were over 45 and lived in Western Europe, the US or Australia. Read the results as a general guide, not as a personal risk calculation.
What counts as moderate activity?
In the study, moderate intensity meant activities such as brisk walking at about 5.6 km/h or cycling at 16 km/h. Walking at about 100 steps a minute also counts as moderate intensity.
Why is TV asked about separately?
The same study looked at TV viewing time separately. Watching 3 hours or more a day was linked to a higher risk except in the most active group, while watching 5 hours or more was linked to an increased risk even in the most active group.
How can I reach 60 minutes a day?
It doesn’t have to be done in one go. For example, 20 minutes of brisk walking on the way to work, 15 minutes at lunchtime, and 25 minutes of walking or cycling in the evening. Breaking up long periods of sitting often is also recommended; the desk break timer and brisk walking metronome can help.
Sources
- Ekelund U, Steene-Johannessen J, Brown WJ, et al. Does physical activity attenuate, or even eliminate, the detrimental association of sitting time with mortality? A harmonised meta-analysis of data from more than 1 million men and women. Lancet. 2016;388(10051):1302–1310.
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge. An hour of moderate exercise a day enough to counter health risks from prolonged sitting. 28 July 2016.