The Study
Heritability of objectively assessed and self‐reported sedentary behavior
This study shows how much of the differences in sitting time between people might be due to their genes, based on comparing twins. It doesn’t prove that genes cause sitting, but it finds a strong link. Think of it like noticing that tall parents often have tall kids — it suggests height runs in families, but doesn’t prove why.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at why people differ in how much they sit, using both movement trackers and questionnaires.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 546 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Your genes play a big role in how much you sit, especially at work, but what you report about your sitting is less influenced by genes.
- 2Genes explain 56% of differences in actual sitting time, but only 26% of differences in reported sitting.
- 3Sitting and exercise are not opposites in our genes—only 13% of their link comes from shared genetics.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
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.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.