INVITED COMMENTARY Commentary on Atkin et al. (2011): Non-Occupational Sitting and Mental Well-Being in Employed Adults Lucas J. Carr, Ph.D. Published online: 15 December 2011 # The Society of Behavioral Medicine 2011 Does sitting negatively impact our mental well-being? This is a critical question given the vast amount of time humans spend sitting, much of which is done during mentally challenging activities such as school and work. The present study by Atkin et al. [1] adds to the literature through the exploration of the potential negative impact of non-occupational sedentary behaviors on mental health. This work is critical considering the progressive rise in sedentary and low-active occupations in the USA over the past 50 years [2]. With the rise of the desktop computer, it stands to reason that such low-activity occupations will continue to grow making research investigating the impact of non- occupational sedentary behaviors that much more important. In the context of the Sedentary Behavior Epidemiology Research Framework [3], this cross-sectional study would be considered a phase I research. This work is important as it is a necessary starting point in a progression of research that ultimately leads to the translation of effective interventions to reduce non-occupational sedentary time for the improvement of mental well-being in adults. Before translational work can begin, it is necessary to identify behavioral, environmental, and social correlates that influence such non-occupational sedentary behaviors. Currently, there is a dearth of evidence in this area. Such studies would provide valuable insight into the modifiable determinants of sedentary behaviors and inform interventions aimed specifically at reducing non- occupational sedentary behaviors. To date, interventions in this area have most often been focused on reducing screen- based media in youth. Interventions are needed that target the full spectrum of non-occupational sedentary behaviors among adults including transportation time, socializing time, and computer use. Future studies should also explore the potential mechanisms through which the observed associations between sitting time and mental health may be acting, especially in those populations that may be most adversely affected by prolonged sitting time. Whether it is the displacement of physical activity or social isolation, it is important to identify whether specific non-occupational activities are more or less damaging to mental health and how such behaviors can be modified for improved health. For example, it is plausible that sitting while socializing and sitting while watching television act via different mechanisms on mental health due to the different nature of these activities. Ultimately, long-term goals of this research track should focus on developing translatable interventions that can be dis- seminated into practice. For example, investigators are currently testing methods for reducing sedentary time in the worksite that could easily be translated into practice [4, 5]. It is also important to develop interventions that can easily be disseminated in non-occupational settings such as the home, social facilities, and in the community. L. J. Carr (*) East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA e-mail: carrl@ecu.edu ann. behav. med. (2012) 43:149–150 DOI 10.1007/s12160-011-9325-6