Is standing worse for your health than sitting?

There has been much publicity recently given to research on the health risks associated with sitting, particularly in the office environment. Some studies have paralleled sitting with smoking and linked it with obesity and cancer, along with other blights on the human body. The research findings have given rise to new concepts in office design, and products such as height adjustable desks have gained popularity as interior designers adopt the latest trends, while employers seek to develop a healthier and more active workforce.

But is sitting really all that bad?

On the contrary, more recent and conclusive studies have found no evidence that sitting is tied to an increased risk of dying. A good example includes research conducted by the University of Exeter, which followed data provided over a period of 16 years by 3,720 men and 1,412 women on the length of time they spent sitting each week. The findings contradict widespread health recommendations which state that remaining seated for too long is bad for your health, regardless of how much exercise you do.

In fact, it seems that the health issues previously attributed to extended sitting are not relieved by standing and can actually be exacerbated instead. As researcher Melvyn Hillsdon from the University of Exeter says, “the problem lies in the absence of movement rather than the time spent sitting itself”. The underlying cause of reduced blood flow and a slower metabolism is not the position of being seated but rather a general lack of movement.

This is important, because further studies show that standing actually offers a narrower range of movement than sitting. Most modern task chairs give the user the ability to change between various postures and adapt to different positions while remaining supported, whereas the only postures able to be maintained in a standing position are those of being completely upright or else forward leaning. Furthermore, prolonged standing is known to place additional load on the circulatory system, increasing the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in men with ischemic heart disease and heightening the risk of varicose veins.

The risks of prolonged standing are counteracted in industrial environments by providing staff with anti-fatigue surfaces and footwear and also places to sit for rest. However anti-fatigue surfaces are not prevalent in offices and the most common footwear types range from dress shoes to high heels, compounding the problems caused by standing.

The conclusion to be drawn from all this is that contrary to popular belief, standing is to be avoided more than sitting.

So what is the solution to health issues caused by a lack of movement in the office? At Advanta we believe that well-designed activity based working environments which encourage movement between different workspaces during the day are key. Also of great importance is the provision of chairs which adapt to and support the movements of the user.

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