Just standing isn’t enough.
Have you invested in a standing desk thinking it would improve your health by reducing sedentary behavior? New research indicates that this may not be the best choice.
A study involving over 83,000 British adults who used wrist monitors to track their movements found no significant health benefits from merely substituting sitting with standing if there was no accompanying physical activity. In fact, standing for extended periods could pose risks to heart health, potentially increasing the likelihood of developing conditions such as varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), according to Australian researchers.
Dr. Matthew Ahmadi, the lead author of the study and deputy director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub at the University of Sydney, emphasized that prolonged standing does not compensate for a sedentary lifestyle and could have negative implications for circulatory health. He noted that their findings suggest that standing more does not enhance cardiovascular well-being in the long run and may even raise the risk of circulatory problems.
However, this research does not suggest that people should abandon their standing desks altogether. Instead, the focus should shift to incorporating more movement into daily routines. Emmanuel Stamatakis, a co-author of the study and director of the Research Hub, recommends that individuals who typically sit for long periods should integrate more incidental movement throughout the day along with structured exercise to better mitigate cardiovascular risks.
Stamatakis advises taking regular breaks to move around, opting for walking meetings, using stairs instead of elevators, and utilizing lunch breaks for physical activity away from the desk. Earlier research from the same team in 2024 found that just six minutes of vigorous activity or 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily can significantly lower heart disease risks for those who spend over 11 hours a day in sedentary behavior.
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