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Aussies spend one month a year sitting watching TV

July 22, 2013

Australian adults spend on average four hours per day doing sedentary leisure activities such as watching TV compared with only half an hour of physical activity, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Paul Jelfs, from the Australian Bureau, said the 2011-12 data reveals a tendency for high levels of sedentary behaviour across the adult population.

“Australian adults spent an average of 13 hours a week watching TV. While males and females spent a similar number of hours sitting to watch TV, males spent around 45 minutes more per week using the computer (5.5 compared to 4.8 hours) and 40 minutes more playing electronic games (one hour compared to 18 minutes),” Jelfs said.

“It all adds up, with men and women spending over two months of each year on sedentary leisure activities (65 days for men and 61 days for women per year) including sitting for transport.

“One in three workers spent at least three-quarters of their time at work sitting. Managers, professionals and clerical/administrative workers spent an average of 22 to 23 hours per week sitting compared to less than four hours for labourers. Working adults also averaged six hours per week sitting for transport.

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