Dr Paddy Dempsey

Dr Paddy Dempsey AIPS 2024 Young Tall Poppy

The message that regular “exercise” is important for overall health is likely not new for many. However, even if you’re meeting the recommended ~30 minutes/day of exercise – something few Australians manage to do on a consistent basis – this still leaves another 16 waking hours when you’re not exercising?
Does it matter how you spend these hours, which account for over 90% of the day? If you spent most of that time sitting, versus standing or moving around – whether it’s taking a short walk/cycle, regularly shifting between sitting and standing, or doing light stretches – would it make a difference to your health?
Dr Dempsey’s research suggests that it does matter, and in significant ways. Prolonged sedentary behaviour (i.e., too much sitting as distinct from too little exercise) is now recognised as a public health concern – silent but sinister! It raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Our bodies simply aren’t built for such a stationary existence.
The good news is that we may not need to do as much as we think to offset the harmful effects of too much sitting.
Dr Dempsey’s work sheds light on how different amounts, intensities, and patterns of physical activity and sedentary behaviour can improve cardiometabolic health. By integrating epidemiological data, clinical trials, and meta-analyses, his research has influenced major public health guidelines (e.g., WHO) and helped shape new best practices for managing type 2 diabetes. This work is also helping to shift global attitudes toward more flexible and holistic approaches to lifestyle changes, offering multiple behavioural pathways to better health.
2024