Do you spend your whole workday in the office sitting down at a desk? If you answered yes, recent studies have revealed that this may be having some seriously harmful effects on your health.
With 50% of Australian workers having jobs that involve sitting, prolonged sitting is becoming increasingly common in Australian workplaces.
Sitting for long periods of time can increase the risk of a variety of different health conditions including; increased blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Thankfully, more offices around the world are investing in standing desks. These desks allow individuals to work comfortably while standing up.
Between 2017-2018 the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey showed that two thirds of Australian’s are overweight or obese. As a result, any methods promoting weight loss should be welcomed including the investment in standing desks. A study published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, revealed that for a 65kg person, standing up burned 0.15 Kcal per minute more than a 65 kg person sitting down. Although this sounds minimal, it equates to an additional 54 Kcal for a 6 hour day, which amounts to approximately 2.5 kg in one year (this is assuming there is no increase in food intake).
A reduced risk of weight gain is not the only benefit of standing desks. Research suggests that standing desks can also increase productivity, improve your posture and reduce your risk of heart disease, ultimately having a positive impact on your overall health.
In Australia, researchers conducted a 12-month trial involving 231 workers in Victoria, which found that individuals with standing desks reduced their overall sitting time by one hour each day. Their blood glucose levels and fat levels were also lower than those who remained seated throughout the day.
Listen up employer’s, we think it’s time to invest in standing up desks for your team!