Why do some people sit more than others?
Heritability of objectively assessed and self‐reported sedentary behavior
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Genes explain more than half of actual sitting time, but barely any of what people *say* they do
Most assume self-reports reflect real behavior, but here genetics strongly shape objective behavior while barely influencing self-perception.
Practical Takeaways
Don’t beat yourself up for sitting too much—your genes may be working against you.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Genes explain more than half of actual sitting time, but barely any of what people *say* they do
Most assume self-reports reflect real behavior, but here genetics strongly shape objective behavior while barely influencing self-perception.
Practical Takeaways
Don’t beat yourself up for sitting too much—your genes may be working against you.
Publication
Journal
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports
Year
2020
Authors
N. Schutte, C. Huppertz, S. Doornweerd, M. Bartels, E. D. Geus, H. P. Ploeg
Related Content
Claims (4)
People's genes seem to play a smaller role in how they report their sitting time compared to their actual sitting habits — meaning how much you say you sit isn't as influenced by DNA as how much you actually sit.
Just because someone sits a lot doesn’t mean they’re genetically wired to be less active — sitting and moving aren’t exact opposites in our DNA, even though they’re somewhat linked in behavior.
More than half of why people sit or recline different amounts every day comes down to their genes, not just their habits or surroundings.
How much you say you sit and how much you actually sit are somewhat linked — about 1 in 3 people who report sitting a lot really do. And nearly half of that link comes from shared genes, meaning your DNA plays a role in both what you do and what you say about it.