Professor of Public Health at AUT, Grant Schofield who co-authored the report, says the findings are a wake-up call, even for regular exercisers.  "We've known for a long time that exercise is good for us, that's a no brainer but the new finding here is that long periods of sitting have detrimental effects on our health independent of exercise. In other words, even if you exercise, but spend most of your day sitting, you are at increased health risk, especially from obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes."

Professor Schofield says the human body works best when people are constantly physically active. That's what burns up calories. But he says modern life encourages us to sit for long periods, in cars, at desks and in front of TV or electronic gadgets. He says there is increasing consensus that this is bad for our health.

"Studies have shown that people who begin working as bus drivers or in call centres, where they're sitting all day, gain an average of six kilograms in their first six months of employment."