Sitting Down May Lead to Diabetes
Christina Koch
"Diabetes link to sitting largely due to obesity and lack of exercise"
Publication Date: March 31, 2016
Source: Fox News
Article Summary:
This article talks about a recent study that shows how sitting down for long periods of the day can be linked to being at risk for developing diabetes. According to Rapaport, “[the study linked] sitting for more than 10 hours a day to a 35 percent higher risk of diabetes compared with sitting for less than 6 hours daily” (2016). The article suggests that being physically active outside of the work environment can decrease the hazards of being at an increased risk for diabetes. Changing positions at your desk, getting up and walking around every now and then, and standing as opposed to sitting at your desk can all help alleviate this risk (Rapaport, 2016). In the study conducted, those participants that got 150 minutes of exercise a week were at a much lower chance of being at risk for diabetes. The study analyzed thousands of people, and 1,790 people developed diabetes over the course of the study period (about 5 years). These individuals were more likely to already be overweight, be younger, have more education, drink alcohol, and be physically inactive (Rapaport, 2016).
Article Critique:
Lisa Rapaport is a freelance medical journalist from New York that has written articles for many big news companies like FOX news and Bloomberg ("Lisa Rapaport", 2016). This article uses scientific evidence from the studies that were conducted and quotes researchers from universities such as the University of Pittsburgh and the laboratory at the Diabetes Institute in Australia. Also, the British Journal of Sports Medicine is referenced, further proving that much of the information in this article came from credible sources. “Diabetes link to sitting largely due to obesity and lack of exercise” was posted on a news website, FOX news, which is open for the general public to view. The conclusions drawn from the article do make sense as a lot of research has shown that being physically inactive can lead to diabetes and obesity. But, the article did note that the study conducted may not necessarily represent accurate numbers as people could have just estimated the time they sat at their desk, and their lack of accuracy with describing sedentary habits (Rapaport, 2016). When evidence is purely based on what people say, there is always a chance that they are not being completely honest, especially when it may come to their nutritional habits. Even with evidence of a credible source or university, the numbers may not always seem to be as precise. The article is trying to get the public’s attention about the increased risk of diabetes and obesity that is linked to sitting down for long periods in the day, and the numbers could be skewed just to drive the article’s point across.
References
Rapaport, L. (2016). Lisa Rapaport [Blog post]. Retrieved from Linkedin website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisarapaport
exercise. Retrieved April 3, 2016, from Fox News website: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/03/31/ diabetes-link-to-sitting-largely-due-to-obesity-and-lack-exercise.html