New Delhi: Prolonged sitting while gaming, binge-watching OTT content or attending online classes may increase the risk of blood clots in the legs among young people, vascular specialists have warned, citing evidence linking sedentary behaviour to a higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).
The experts said extended periods of uninterrupted sitting can slow blood flow from the legs and contribute to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition in which a clot forms in the deep veins and can become life-threatening if it travels to the lungs.
The warning was issued at the VSI-ASVS 2026 conference, being held at Pullman and Novotel, Aerocity, here from October 8 to 10.
The conference has brought together more than 400 faculty members and over 1,000 delegates from India and abroad to discuss advances and emerging challenges in vascular and endovascular surgery.
A 2024 systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis published in Scientific Reports, which included 25 articles and 31 studies, found that people with the highest levels of sedentary behaviour had approximately 24 per cent higher risk of VTE than those with the lowest exposure.
The analysis also reported a 2 per cent increase in risk for every additional hour of sedentary behaviour per day.
Dr Tapish Sahu, Organising Secretary of VSI-ASVS 2026 and Director and Head of the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Max Hospital Delhi, said doctors were increasingly seeing young patients whose lifestyle habits, including prolonged sitting and excessive screen exposure, warranted closer attention.
“We are increasingly seeing young patients in our OPD with symptoms that make us look closely at their lifestyle, including prolonged sitting, excessive screen exposure and long gaming sessions. The latest evidence is concerning because the risk is not restricted to people who are completely inactive,” Dr Sahu said.
The 2024 meta-analysis found about a 24 per cent higher risk of VTE among those with the highest sedentary exposure, while every additional hour of sedentary behaviour was associated with approximately a 2 per cent increase in VTE risk, Dr Sahu said.
When a young person sits continuously for four, five or six hours playing games or binge-watching OTT content, the calf muscles are barely working as a pump for venous blood, he explained.
“We need to make movement breaks a part of digital life,” he said.
DVT, which was traditionally associated with older age, hospitalisation or prolonged bed rest, can also affect younger people.
Experts, however, cautioned that screen use does not automatically cause blood clots and prolonged sitting is generally an additional risk factor, particularly when combined with obesity, dehydration, smoking, hormonal factors, inherited clotting disorders or a previous history of thrombosis.
A study examining adolescents with thrombosis identified 11 patients who reported at least four hours of daily screen exposure. Their average digital-device use was around six hours a day, while uninterrupted immobility averaged 2.7 hours. Eight had DVT in the lower limbs, two had pulmonary embolism and one had subclavian-vein thrombosis.
Researchers also identified inherited thrombophilia in many of these patients, suggesting that prolonged digital-device use and immobility may act as additional triggers rather than the sole cause of thrombosis.
Dr Tarun Grover, Organising Chairman of VSI-ASVS 2026 and Senior Director of Peripheral Vascular and Endovascular Sciences at Medanta, said doctors needed to ask young patients about their screen-time habits while assessing vascular health.
“Earlier, when we thought about prolonged immobility, we primarily discussed long-distance travel, hospitalisation or being bedridden. Today, we also need to ask young patients how many hours they spend continuously sitting in front of a gaming console, computer or OTT screen.
“The evidence showing a 24 per cent higher VTE risk with higher sedentary exposure should make us take this issue seriously. A young age should not create a false sense of security, particularly when prolonged sitting is combined with other risk factors,” he said.
Dr Bhupesh Garg, Senior Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon at the Vascular Society of India, said prolonged sitting and smoking could contribute to vascular risks through different mechanisms.
“Just as smoking increases vascular and clotting risks, prolonged sitting can also increase the risk of blood clots, although through a different mechanism. When a person remains seated for hours, the calf-muscle pump becomes inactive, venous blood flow from the legs slows down and blood can stagnate in the deep veins.
“This is particularly concerning when young people spend several uninterrupted hours gaming or binge-watching OTT content. We are seeing more young patients in clinical practice in whom prolonged sedentary behaviour is an important part of the lifestyle history. The message should be simple: if you are going to spend hours on a screen, do not spend those hours completely still,” he said.
Doctors said young people often spend several hours sitting in school or college before continuing with gaming, social media, streaming or other online activities, leaving little scope for movement throughout the day.
They advised people to break up long periods of sitting with regular movement and avoid remaining immobile for hours at a stretch. They also stressed that physical activity alone may not completely offset the risks associated with prolonged sedentary behaviour.
The experts said the comparison between sitting and smoking should be understood as a public-health warning, not a claim that the two carry equivalent risks. They urged greater awareness of sedentary behaviour as a potentially modifiable factor in vascular health.
- Published On Oct 10, 2026 at 07:51 AM IST
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