Crossed 60? Don't sit idle to avoid disability

If you have crossed 60, then every hour you spend sitting can increase the chances of disability, says a study.

"This is the first time we've shown sedentary behaviour was related to increased disability regardless of the amount of moderate exercise," said Dorothy Dunlop, professor of medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

In fact, the sedentary behaviour is as strong a risk factor for disability as lack of proper exercise.

"Older adults need to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting, whether in front of the TV or at the computer, regardless of their participation in moderate or vigorous activity," added Dunlop.

The study focused on a sample of 2,286 adults aged 60 and above from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

It compared people in similar health with the same amount of moderate vigorous activity. Moderate activity is walking briskly, as if you are late for an important work.

The study is the first of its kind to show that the sedentary behaviour is a risk factor for disability, separate from lack of continuous physical activity.

The research was published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.