Sitting around all day has been associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but according to a new study featured on Science Daily, taking breaks every now and then may weaken the link.

Researchers analyzed data on 500 children aged eight to 11 and used an accelerometer to study all breaks in their sedentary behavior in a week. Factors such as time spent watching TV and playing video games, as well as health risk indicators such as waist circumference, body mass index, fasting insulin, fasting glucose, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and C-reactive proteins were also taken in consideration.

Unsurprisingly, they found that participants who spent more time being sedentary by playing computer games or watching TV had higher health risks. However, their odds of developing weight-related diseases also fell when they took frequent breaks.

This just goes to show how important it is to encourage children to enjoy more physical activities. After all, the more kids get up on their feet, the healthier they could be.

(Photo by Krystian Olszanski via Flickr Creative Commons)