While many Americans look toward steady employment to provide their families with benefits like increased income and health insurance, they may not realize that their desk jobs are harming their health.

The American Cancer Society recently realized findings from a 14-year study that highlight the health risks posed to both men and women who sit for longer than six hours each day. The study found that women who sat throughout the day are 37 percent more likely to die than those who do not sit for such long periods. Men in similar situations increased their mortality rate by 18 percent.

Furthermore, both men and women who do not engage in physical activity found themselves inflating their risk of death to alarming levels. Inactive men who sit for long periods are 48 percent more likely to pass away, while women are 94 percent more disposed to die.

"Prolonged time spent sitting, independent of physical activity, has been shown to have important metabolic consequences, and may influence things like triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, resting blood pressure, and leptin, which are biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular and other chronic diseases," said Dr. Alpa Patel, the study’s leader.