New research has shocked the findings about stagnant jobs

Standing desks turned out to be not so useful/freepik

New research questions the effectiveness of standing desks in reducing the harm of a sedentary lifestyle. Note that they were previously considered useful for office workers.

Standing desks are often positioned as an alternative to a sedentary lifestyle. But new research suggests that they may be just as harmful to health, according to the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Researchers from Australia and the Netherlands analyzed data for seven years, collected from 83,013 adultsfrom the Biobank of Great Britain. Data was tracked using wrist-based devices that recorded activity, sleep, and the amount of time spent sitting and standing. This information was compared with the incidence of cardiovascular and blood diseases.

Previous studies have suggested that standing at a desk can improve overall health by improving measures such as blood pressure and insulin sensitivity. However, the new study, led by Matthew Ahmadi of the University of Sydney, focused on “hard clinical endpoints” – such as hospitalizations or deaths. It turned out that standing for a long time does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Standing work also has a negative impact on health/Photo by look_studio

The results showed that excessive standing may also increase the risk of circulatory diseases. In particular, standing for more than two hours each day increases this risk by 11% for every additional half hour. For retail workers and those who use standing desks, this is alarming news. However, sitting for more than 10 hours a day also significantly increases the risk – each additional hour increases the likelihood of circulatory problems by 26%.

Researchers note that the risk of orthostatic diseases increases due to lack of movement. both during prolonged sitting and standing. Observations also show that with active movement, for example, while walking, such risks disappear, since the blood does not stagnate in the lower limbs.

In general, scientists conclude that standing workplaces cannot replace regular activity and physical exercises that are key to maintaining health. Therefore, although standing at the table was considered a healthier alternative, it does not provide complete protection from the negative consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.