The human body appreciates movement. However, movement might not be of interest to everybody, might not be physically or culturally accessible, or might be difficult to integrate within one’s reality. Depending on different people’s context, there are a variety of factors that may make moving difficult on a daily basis. In this article, we present a variety of topics related to movement that may change your perspective on the widespread societal messages we receive about moving.
First Word
In this article, we do not, by any means, intend to responsibilize people who do not engage in activities requiring movement. We acknowledge that people may not want to move or may not be able to move as they want. No matter the reason, this is an individual choice that does not involve us. This article is intended for people looking for ways to move a little bit more throughout their days and understand what movement is. Please read what interests you and what applies to your context.
What is Sedentary Behaviour?1, 2, 3
Sedentary behaviour is defined as any waking behaviour characterized by an energy expenditure of 1.5 metabolic equivalents (METS) while in a sitting or reclining position. A MET is a unit of measurement used to quantify the body’s energy expenditure, and is equivalent to the energy that is expended while at rest, which is 3.5 millilitres of oxygen per kilogram (ml O2/kg) of bodyweight. For example, an activity that consumes 7.5ml O2/kg would be equal to two METS. This behaviour may look like:
- Sitting for school or work
- Driving to school or work
- Eating meals seated
- Lying or sitting while reading, meditating, watching television
Given many people’s reality, these behaviours are very accessible and may represent many people’s daily tasks. Unfortunately, those engaging in the highest amount of sedentary time have an increased likelihood of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and negative psychological health outcomes.
How To Move a Little Bit More?4,5
It has been shown that breaks in sedentary time lowers systolic blood pressure, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and increases high density lipoprotein cholesterol (the “good cholesterol”). These factors are associated with reducing the risk of developing the previously mentioned chronic diseases.
There are a number of ways to reduce sedentary behaviour in all domains, whether at school, work, or at home, including:
- walking around the house during television commercial breaks
- complete small tasks like folding clothes while watching television
- stand to drink your morning coffee or to read/watch the news
- walk or bike to work or school if possible
- set timers to stand every 20-40 minutes while doing work
- take the stairs
- drink more water to increase bathroom and water breaks
- park further away from a building to increase walking distance
- stand on public transit
- stand or sit on an exercise ball while doing work or watching lecture
Integrating Movement at School or Work6
It has long been argued that active sitting or standing while doing work negatively impacts worker productivity and efficiency. Studies have investigated this claim and demonstrated no differences in worker productivity between sitting, active sitting or standing while working.
Furthermore, since students may be faced with slightly different tasks than office workers, further research investigated these active options in a student population. Again, active sitting or standing demonstrated no difference in perceptual performance, executive memory, and working memory performance in a student population. Moreover, little research has been done regarding active options for people with physical disabilities, and further research is required to determine active options for this population.
Ultimately, the literature suggests that for those individuals who wish to be more active while at work or school, their choice to stand or actively sit while working will not negatively or positively impact their performance. However, active sitting or standing while working may have positive effects on health since they are moving a bit more.
Issues with Creating “Movement Norms” at School or Work7,8
Creating norms to “actively sit” or stand or engage in any type of health behaviour at work or at school may have, unintentional, harmful effects on students or employees. In fact, creating “movement norms” effectively renders certain behaviours or practices abnormal, which consequently shapes people to think, feel, or behave a certain way.
“Simultaneously, this makes other bodies and ways of living unrecognisable and therefore more or less impossible.”
Reimers, 2020, p. 174
When attempting to create norms, we must ask ourselves: “Who are we excluding and/or discriminating against?”. Living in a multicultural country, such as Canada, signifies that people’s understandings of health will vary. Creating Western “movement norms” within a school or work setting (e.g. 150 minutes of exercise per week) dismisses beliefs about the body and health that may differ from the Western biomedical model.
It is believed that people are able to identify themselves and others based on norms. People want to conform to these norms and avoid being distinguished as different or “not normal.” In fact, physical activity programs and health promotion messaging often magnify this “norm” and heightens people’s responsibility to fit within the norm. As a result, people who may have differing health beliefs and practices from the Western standards of movement may have a fear of criticism or categorization (as “not normal”).
Wrap Up
Physical activity programs, movement norms, or any health-related practice will never “fit all.” Understanding different cultural narratives of the body and health is important to avoid the harm caused by norms and societal pressures to conform. If you are personally interested in integrating a bit more movement into your day, it does not need to be something that will completely shift your routine. Moving a little bit throughout the day may make you feel more energized as you work and you may experience less aches and pains. However, imposing what works for you on other people may cause norms, that may make people resist movement altogether.
References:
1Tremblay, M. S., Aubert S., Barnes, J. D., Saunders, T. J., Carson, V., Latimer-Cheung, A. E., Chastin, S. F. M., Altenburg, T. M. & Chinapaw, M. J. M. (2017). Sedentary Behavior Research Network (SBRN) – Terminology Consensus Project process and outcome. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14(75). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0525-8
2Ekelund, U., Steene-Johannessen, J., Brown, W. J., Fagerland, M. W., Owen, N., Powell, K. E., Bauman, A., Lee, I. (2016). 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, 388(10051), 1302-1310. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30370-1
3Wilmot, E. G., Edwardson, C. L., Achana, F. A., Davies, M. J., Gorely, T., Gray, L. J., Khunti, K., Yates, T. & Biddle, S. J. H. (2012). Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia, 55(11), 895-905. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30370-110.1007/s00125-012-2677-z
4Healy, G. N., Shaw, J. E., Dunstan, D. W., Zimmet, P. Z., Salmon, J., Owen, N. & Cerin, E. (2008). Breaks in sedentary time: beneficial associations with metabolic risk. Diabetes Care, 31, 661-666. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30370-110.2337/dc07-2046.
5 National Heart Foundation of America. (2011). https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/88c39659-675e-44b2-9da8-b9b28b5f0c83/PA-Sitting-Less-Adults.pdf
6Smith, S. & Prapavessis, H. (2016). The effects of sitting, dynamic sitting, and standing desks on classroom performance of university students. Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport. 48(1). https://www.scapps.org/jems/index.php/1/article/view/1477
7Reimers, E. (2020). Education as products and productions of norms. Social theory and health education: forging new insights in research. Routledge. 172-181.
