Where most of us are guilty of sitting for long periods each day, recent studies conducted by Canadian Researcher Dr Peter Katzmarzyk have found that those who sit almost all of the time have nearly a one-third higher risk of early death than those who stand for most of the time. Similar studies conclude that those who sit for long periods every day live around two years less than those who are more active. Comparative studies on the effects of sitting versus standing date back to the 1700s, when Bernardino Ramazzini first described the ill effects of too much sitting and advised people to break up long periods of inactivity by moving around to stimulate blood flow. You might also be interested in It’s time to stand up against back pain Although ergonomists and modern technologies have made it increasingly comfortable and efficient to work whilst sitting down, most Australians now sit for an average of nine hours per day. You might also be interested in New chair gets people active while sitting down Sydney-based exercise physiologist Anna-Louise Moule says that sitting for this amount of time can be hugely detrimental to our health, and result in musculoskeletal issues caused by poor posture. Additionally, it can also result in an increased risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Where sitting for long periods of time has proven to have adverse health effects, professionals and ergonomists agree that alternating between sitting and standing will increase muscular contractions, thus positively influencing blood flow and sugar levels. And there’s further evidence to support that standing is better for burning calories too. Dr John Buckley and a team of researchers from the University of Chester conducted a study whereby 10 estate agents were asked to stand for a period of three hours a day for a week – a simple change which notably improved their ability to burn calories. You might also be interested in Adjustable Computer Desks “If we look at the heart rates, we can see they are quite a lot higher actually – on average around 10 beats per minute higher – and that makes a difference of about 0.7 of a calorie per minute,” said Dr John Buckley. Burning 0.7 of a calorie per minute adds up to about 50 calories per hour, and if standing for three hours a day for five days that’s around 750 calories burnt. Over the course of a year, this would add up to almost 30,000 extra calories, or 3.6 kilograms. Although doing regular exercise helps to combat some of the effects of prolonged sitting, our bodies require the constant increase in muscle activity that standing and movement provides. While it may not be possible to stand for the entire day while at work, changing desk arrangements to allow for sit/stand work environments would have positive benefits to the health of workers across Australia. Sources: http://www.bakeridi.edu.au/Assets/Files/Baker%20IDI%20Ausdiab%20Report_interactive_FINAL.pdf http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24532996 http://theconversation.com/health-check-sitting-versus-standing-30145 http://m.theage.com.au/lifestyle/take-a-stand-20140916-3fv9k.html