A recent paper published by Jialu Streeter and Marie Conley Smith examined the extent to which the pandemic has changed people's healthy living behaviors and outcomes, with evidence from a survey conducted with a nationally representative sample by the Stanford Center on Longevity (1). It appears that the pandemic has had a significant impact on these behaviors, although the type of impact varies based on income levels and education.

Key Findings

People in the lowest income and educational quartiles increased smoking and reduced sleep and healthy eating, and experienced higher levels of depression than pre-pandemic.
People in the highest income and educational quartiles increased alcohol consumption and reduced exercise. They became prone to excessive periods of sitting.

Is Sitting the New Smoking?

Not exactly. Smoking is a known carcinogen, and long stretches of sitting do not have the same risk. None-the-less, our bodies are designed for activity, and excessive sitting (8+ hours/day) increases the risk of premature death and some chronic diseases by 10-20%, according to the American Journal of Health. Long periods of sitting have also been linked to increased blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, and excess fat, especially around the waist.

Per Michael Fredericson, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and head of the Stanford Lifestyle Medicine initiative:

Physically inactive jobs or lifestyles can put people at unique risk from underuse. It is incredibly important to incorporate movement throughout the day to prevent excessive muscular stress and potential injury in structures such as the back and neck.

Move More/Sit Less

As we are slowly starting to emerge from our pandemic behaviors, here are a few tips to more more:

Break It Up. If you sit at a desk or table (or in front of a TV), set a timer to get up and move at least once an hour—or better yet, every 30 minutes. This can simply be a 1 or 2 minute break.
Zoom Less, Phone More. Replace some of the now common Zoom meetings with a telephone call where you can walk around your backyard or living room as you talk.
Just Dance! Dancing to a favorite song for three or four minutes refreshes your body and your brain. The term “dance as if no one is watching” applies here! Just move to some music you enjoy. My favorite is M.C. Hammer’s Can’t Touch This.
Get Functional. A recent Wellness Wednesday with Alkalign founder & CEO Erin Paruszewski focused on 7 functional movements which we use for everyday activities. To build functional movement strength and mobility, start with this set of free on-line modules which Erin has generously shared with the Zing community.