It’s been about a decade since we were warned “sitting is the new smoking.” Directed toward an increasingly sedentary population that spends a good part of our day in front of a screen, the message suggests, like smoking, exercise can’t totally negate the negative health effects of inactivity.
But it’s not only couch potatoes who are guilty of spending too much time sitting. Some gym rats are largely sedentary when not exercising, spending all but a few minutes of their daytime hours behind a desk or in front of a screen. And similar to those who never hit the gym, chronic sitters have an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes even if they’re active.
The writer, Peck Gee Chua who is passionate about her work and led a sedentary lifestyle, got a shock.
If January symbolises new beginnings, 2024 felt like stepping off a cliff into the unknown. I ended up hospitalised three days into the new year following intense stomach cramps and constant feelings of uneasiness. The frequent thirst and bathroom breaks just did not feel right.
“We’re going to have to admit you for diabetes. You also have a urinary tract infection,” the doctors said.
I was dumbfounded but did not resist. A million thoughts surged through my head. Shockingly, my blood sugar level is three times as high as the normal range, as finger-prick tests revealed. My haemoglobin result showed that I have unknowingly been living with diabetes for the last two to three months.
And for the second year in a row, I am diagnosed with yet another chronic health condition. In early 2023, I started experiencing finger numbness during sleep. An MRI revealed cervical spondylosis, a type of neck arthritis, causing a bulging disk that affects nerves, leading to radiating pains from my neck to my fingers to other parts of my body.
Despite my annual health screening six months ago showing nothing amiss, I am thrown into this sudden onset of diabetes. I sit with the sinking feeling that I am now living a chronically ill life.
Not once did I think that I was a prime candidate for Type 2 diabetes and cervical spondylosis. I am not obese nor did I have a family history of diabetes. I am relatively young as a 40-year-old and had thought of myself as reasonably healthy.
Looking back on why this happened to me, I can think only of one reason: My sedentary lifestyle, which was exacerbated by remote work, and my obsession with my work while juggling parenting duties. That left me little “me time” to mindfully care for my health or to exercise properly.
A year ago, I was mostly stuck in reactive mode, glued to the screen for hours, bouncing between e-mails, jumping from one Zoom call to another across time zones, rushing about between projects with external deadlines and often self-imposed ones. Remote work brought great flexibility and convenience to a busy working mother like me but also loneliness and an urge to feel useful, to forge connections with others – perhaps this pushed me to fall prey to mindless screen time.
For that, I paid a high price.
Sitting too long can be deadly. People who spend most of their day sitting at work have a 16 per cent higher risk of dying from all causes and a 34 per cent higher risk of dying from heart issues.
This is backed by a 2024 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama), involving over 480,000 participants over the course of 13 years.
Sitting too much can shorten one’s life and bring on a slew of serious health issues. Think blood clots; various cancers, including colon, breast, lung, prostate, ovarian; heart diseases; chronic pain conditions with back, hip, neck, joint pains; high blood pressure; high cholesterol; high levels of inflammation and reduced gut health; obesity; poor bone health and osteoporosis; poor posture with muscle tension and loss; and even stroke.
On top of the physical toll, many of us are unaware of how not moving enough cumulatively can affect our mental and emotional well-being, as well as cognitive functioning. In 2023, Jama found that not moving around enough could raise your chances of getting dementia.
It’s safe to say that one can also add diabetes to the list.
Already the odds are stacked against Asians.
More than 60 per cent of people with diabetes call Asia home. Six out of the top 10 countries with the highest diabetes rates are right here in this region. The situation is becoming more worrisome as diabetes does not just affect adults alone any more – even kids are affected.
In Singapore alone, over 400,000 people live with diabetes. One in three Singaporeans have a lifetime risk of developing diabetes. The number is projected to rise to one million by 2050 if things do not change.
Imagine this: As you sit for too long, day in and day out, the body becomes resistant to insulin, a hormone that lets your cells use sugar as energy. To compensate, the body starts pumping out more insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Eventually, the body cannot keep up and the blood sugar starts to rise, leading to Type 2 diabetes.
The chain of reaction does not just stop there. When you are inactive, fat starts to build up, especially around your belly, making it even harder for the body to control blood sugar. Plus, your muscles start to shrink and weaken, which means that they are unable to store sugar from the bloodstream.
In Asia-Pacific, over 40 per cent of adults are grappling with sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity. Rapid urbanisation has meant that more people are engaged in sedentary desk-based jobs rather than physically demanding occupations.
In our cult of always-on work culture, obsession with speedy productivity amplified by blurring lines between work and personal life exacerbates the problem. Workers struggle with digital boundaries and we get addicted to the chase of achievements to the point that we sometimes forget that we have a body.
Additionally, technological advancements, widespread use of electronic devices, working from home with less commuting and infrequent in-person interaction time, can all result in increased screen time and decreased overall physical activity.
This needs to change.
While hitting 10,000 steps a day may not be realistic for everyone, any movement counts.
My day now begins early at 5.30am before my two young children are awake. I kick-start it with warm-up stretches, box breathing exercises, and guided meditations – immersing into these for 30 minutes to about an hour.
Now, with more slack in my calendar as I prioritise health in my healing journey, I enjoy long walks lasting 30-60 minutes around the neighbourhood or at one of the historic temples in Kyoto. I also take regular breaks throughout the day, incorporating activities like matcha tea whisking, which I have found to be a meditative practice. It helps me slow down, appreciate the simplicity of preparing and savouring tea, and tune in to my body’s needs – all the while moving evenly from one task to another without rushing to the future.
“Make tea for others but more importantly, make time to make tea for yourself” as Dairik Amae, my chado 茶道 tea meditation teacher would say. In a society that has conditioned us to grind, it is even more important to pause, be more mindful about the everyday choices that we make, and have the courage to set healthy boundaries in how we approach our world.
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/why-sitting-is-the-new-smoking-my-sudden-diabetes-diagnosis
Peck Gee Chua is a freelance writer based in Kyoto, who is now exploring the intersection between individual well-being and social change. She is a mother of two and has been a strong advocate for early-childhood and climate action.
Important: The information and opinions in this article are for general information purposes only. They should not be relied on as professional financial advice. Readers should seek independent financial advice that is customised to their specific financial objectives, situations & needs. This advertisement or publication has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Mui Huang works with families and business owners from diverse backgrounds to develop customized financial strategies that fit their unique needs. She believes strongly in an unbiased, independent financial advisory model to help her clients make informed decisions about their financial future.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Business from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in 1995. Since 2006, she has been a CFA Chartered Holder (Certified Financial Analyst).
In her personal time, she enjoys exploring nature trails and cloudspotting.
