Workers who sat for 11 hours or more a day were 40% more likely to die within three years compared with people who sat for less than four hours a day, according to new research.
People who sat for eight to 11 hours a day had a 15% increased risk of dying within three years.
The research tracked more than 222,000 people above the age of 45 in New South Wales over a three year period.
Researchers said said the study was one of many pointing to links between long periods of sitting and serious illness, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Read more at Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute